Renegade Knights
by Biana Delacroix
Summary: In the city of New Orleans, Klaus holds complete control of the board, but the peace is disrupted by the girl he hoped to love and the brother he thought long dead. With terrible secrets of their own, Kol and Caroline enlist Klaus to help them fight an even bigger threat to their world, and Caroline finds that after all that's happened, she and Klaus may finally have their chance.
1. Run This Town

**Author's Note: Happy Tuesday! This story has been my brainchild for the past 3 months, and after a long time of trying to sort out the plot, this is the end product. It takes place a few years in the future from the current canon of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, all plot points will slowly be explained. **

**A massive thank you to Jackie and Mal for reading this first! I hope you all enjoy this.**

**Disclaimer: God, if only.**

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><p><em>Feel it comin' in the air<br>Hear the screams from everywhere  
>I'm addicted to the thrill<br>It's a dangerous love affair  
><em>

_**THE WOODS OUTSIDE MYSTIC FALLS  
>MARCH 2014<strong>_

'Keep running, keep running. Don't look back.'

_Caroline sprinted through the woods, kicking up a small storm in her wake. Faster and faster and faster still, the world around her was a green blur but she didn't care, she pushed her body to the limits of her abilities, and still, it wasn't fast enough. She needed to run, she needed to leave everything behind, she couldn't look back, she could never, ever go back…_

_With a sharp gasp she skidded to a halt, the memories of the past hour slamming down on her in harsh detail. She stumbled and leaned against a tree for support, gulping down heavy breaths but it wasn't enough, she felt like she was suffocating. With a choked sob, she sank to the ground, bringing up a hand to cover her mouth – _

Blood, blood, think of all that blood…

_Caroline gagged and keeled over, coughing and sputtering. How had she forgotten her hands were still covered in blood? Horrified, she finally took the time to look herself over, her hands were stained red (forever, most likely) her clothes were covered in the evidence of the terror she had been responsible for. Her heart thrummed against her chest, the panic was overwhelming…_

'I can't go back, I can't go back…'

_This was the end then, this was where the story of Caroline Forbes screeched to a halt. No more pretty little blonde cheerleader, no more Vampire Barbie, no more of that life she had worked so hard to hold onto. This was where it ended. _

_The bark of the three scraped against the thin fabric of her shirt as she stretched her legs out in front of her, soft hiccups still rocking her chest. Her hands shook as her fingers sought out the gaudy ring on her left hand. So much power in one little object, so much power to grant and take the life of a vampire…_

_The sharp snap of a twig disturbed the heavy silence and Caroline whipped her head up. Her heart stopped. Of all the people who could've found her, all the people she had ever expected, he was so far down on that list. _

"_No. No, no this isn't possible – you're not –" The shock paralyzed her as she stared up at the intruder, who simply sauntered closer with a dark smirk before crouching down in front of her. He raked his narrowed eyes critically over her bloodstained body and he grinned to see the fear and confusion in her eyes. _

"_Relax, darling. Why don't you tell me what's wrong?" _

_Caroline stuttered, shaking her head and pressing back against the tree, scrambling to her feet. The man in front of her rose to meet her and in the cold blue hues of early dawn she could see the sharp angle of his features, a face she never thought she'd see again._

_He broke the silence with a roll of his eyes and a low chuckle. "Go on darling, ask the question. I can tell you're dying to know." _

_Caroline found her voice then and gulped down her fear. Whatever death she might face, if it had to be at his hands she was damn well going to hold her head high. But he was right – she was stunned by this turn of events. _

"_Fine," she said, her voice quiet, but surprisingly steady. "I'll ask it – Kol, how are you alive?"_

* * *

><p><em><strong>THE FRENCH QUARTER OF NEW ORLEANS<br>MARCH 2015**_

The sun was setting over Bourbon Street, the long rays disappearing over the edge of the old brick buildings, glinting off the skyscrapers in the distance. Slowly the noise rose, the vampires of the Quarter trickled out into the streets, whistling and laughing, the older ones leading the young. Together they drank and reveled, the scent of blood and bourbon wafting through the warm Louisiana air. Music floated out of the bars, and as the sun finally died the night began properly. Though, for all the appearance of it being a normal night in the French Quarter, not all were at liberty to relax.

Striding down the streets away from heart of his kingdom, Klaus Mikaelson allowed himself to enjoy his accomplishments. The city he could proudly call his kingdom was thriving, he had a home, and for the first time in a long time, he had his family by his side, no matter how much it had taken for all of them to come to the tentative truce. Of course, the events that led to the truce – well, they were better left not dwelt upon.

"I do worry when you're quiet, Niklaus."

Klaus rolled his eyes with a smirk as his older brother fell into step next to him, seemingly appearing out of the shadows. "Simply thinking on my victories," said Klaus smugly, not missing the exasperated sigh Elijah gave.

"Humility never did suit you," said Elijah shaking his head. "But where are you going tonight?"

"Lafayette Cemetery, Marcel had something I needed to see, apparently." Klaus was stopped in his tracks by Elijah's hand on his shoulder, he turned to see his brother looking suspicious.

"You as well? He sent me a similar message." Elijah had never cared much for 'ruling' New Orleans, but standing by his brother's side meant he was constantly on the lookout for anything that might threaten the hold the Original family had on the city.

Klaus waved off his brother's paranoia, knowing how every little thing was enough to make him think the sky was going to fall on their heads. "Relax brother, what harm could Marcel possibly do?"

"Need I remind you that he had _complete _control over this city before it was ours?"

Klaus growled lowly, "Elijah, what can Marcel do? We've spent two years bringing this town under our feet, and _we _hold the reins of power. Marcel is a figurehead; you know that as well as I do."

"And does he know that? Do you seriously think he is content to do nothing but smile while we pull all the strings?"

"He is content, because he has no choice otherwise," said Klaus with a dark smile, spinning on his heel as he strode off. Elijah sighed and caught up, and the two brothers stayed in silence as they wound through the dark streets of the Garden district, rounding the corner and finding the old iron gate to Lafayette Cemetery left open. Underneath the arch, two girls turned to face them, and Klaus frowned to see Rebekah and the wolf girl waiting.

"What are you two doing here?" he asked tersely, "is there something wrong in the bayou?" He looked at Hayley expectantly, and the girl rolled her eyes insolently.

"Does something always have to be wrong?" she asked.

"I positioned you as an ambassador to the werewolves in the bayou so that you might successfully keep me informed, so yes, when you show up, I expect things to be wrong."

The girl rolled her eyes again, and was about to respond before Rebekah cut her off. "Sod off Nik, there's no need to get testy. Why are you two here anyway?"

"We're meeting Marcel, if you must know. Why are you here?"

"To meet Marcel," replied Rebekah, "wait, he called you too? What's this about?"

"He said there was something here we needed to see, did he explain this to you?" Elijah was on high alert now, subtly listening for an ambush or an attack.

"He didn't say a word," said Rebekah with a frown, but their confusion was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. All four tensed and Klaus took a step into the street, Rebekah and Elijah flanking him. As they watched the corner, Marcel rounded it, an easy smile on his face as he quickly strode towards them. Davina was by his side, and Klaus was surprised to her see her here, the young witch rarely strayed too far from the Quarter where she was safe. Now she hugged her arms, the thin cotton of her dress not doing too much against the chill that had settled in the air, and she shot an apprehensive glance at Klaus.

"Why am I here?" she hissed at Marcel, who simply smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, as they stood in front of the Originals.

"What's wrong love, not happy to see us?" asked Klaus sardonically.

"Honestly? No," snapped Davina, lightening up somewhat as she saw Rebekah next to her brother. "Rebekah, do you know why we're here?"

"Not a clue," she said with a shrug, easing her defensive stance. "Marcel, what the bloody hell is this about?"

Marcel didn't explain himself, simply walking past the group and into the cemetery. "You need to follow me," he said as he stood under the iron gates, "there's something you all have to see." His voice was persistent but he made no move to elaborate.

Klaus sent a glance to his brother, their thoughts hanging in the air. Something was definitely happening. And while Klaus was not a fan of walking into traps, the fact remained that he and his siblings could not be killed, so he strode forward, intent on finding out what Marcel was going on about.

"Let's not stand around shall we?" he said jovially and waved them all forward. There was complete silence throughout the cemetery, and no one said a word. Marcel led the way, Davina close by his side, Klaus followed closely keeping an eye on his former protégé, while Elijah and Rebekah brought up the rear, the former keeping his eyes and ears out for any sign of an ambush. They wound through the small labyrinth of mausoleums and graves, finally coming to a stop in front of a large tomb. Marcel reached into his pocket and pulled out an intricate black key, which he used to open the marble door. It swung with a creak and Marcel stepped inside.

The others cast confused looks at each other but the loud scrape of stone brought their attention to the inside of the tomb, where Marcel was moving a giant slab of marble to reveal a stone staircase leading underground. He smiled to himself and looked up at the others, "We have to go down here."

"The hell we do," muttered Hayley, but he ignored her and looked at the Original Family.

"It's really, really important," he implored, and then started down the steps. Davina stuttered, caught between wanting to follow him and her apprehension, but the thought of being stuck up there with Klaus finally tipped the scales and she started down after Marcel. Klaus followed her quickly, ignoring Elijah's protests and within a second he was at the bottom of the stone staircase, which led quite deep underground, finally ending at the mouth of a cavern.

Marcel held a lighter and was walking around the walls, lighting the old torches until the entire space was flooded with light, illuminating the dusty wooden coffins on the ground. Davina and Klaus stood watching Marcel, but he still offered no explanation, simply waiting while the remaining three came down into the cavern, Rebekah with a grimace.

"What the bloody hell is this place?" she asked distastefully, swiping at a cobweb.

"This tomb belonged to the La Bouff family way back in the 19th century," explained Marcel. "Thing is, big ol' Charles La Bouff had a little too much fun with some girls who were definitely not his wife. But he was sentimental and had this place built underground for his illegitimate children. It was the family's greatest secret."

"That's a lovely history lesson, what does it have to do with us?" asked Elijah testily, having had far more than enough of whatever game Marcel was playing. Marcel was perfectly calm though, too calm. If he was indeed planning an attack, he would've betrayed himself somehow, Elijah was sure of it.

"You had to be brought here. It was very important that you were all here so that everything goes according to plan."

The words spurred everyone into action, in a flash Klaus had Marcel pinned up against a wall, his eyes flashing golden and fangs bared. "What game is this?!" he roared. "If this is some ploy to gain power you must be mad to think it'll work!"

"Are you in on this?" asked Rebekah, staring Davina down, her gaze sharp as steel. "After everything I've done to help you over the past two years, this is how you take my family's power?"

"No!" yelled the young witch, looking between Marcel and Rebekah, her fist clenching as she itched to fling Klaus far away from him. "I have no idea what he's doing, I don't know what's going on!"

Klaus growled again, a low and dangerous sound that set everyone's nerves on edge as they tensed for a fight that could arrive at any moment. "I'll ask you again," said Klaus in a low whisper. "What. Are. You. Doing?"

"It's not his fault."

The penny dropped, and the voice might as well have been a bomb. The tone was so soft and even that for one short moment Klaus thought he must have misheard, because there was no chance, not in the slightest that _she _would be here, that _she _would be involved, it was a complete impossibility-

"You can let go of him, Klaus. He doesn't know what he's doing."

Klaus sucked in a breath, his hand dropping from Marcel's throat. He quelled his shaking hands and masked the million emotions he was sure were playing out on his face and with a deep breath he turned to face the entrance to the cavern.

Standing at the bottom of the staircase, hands clasped neatly in front of her, was Caroline Forbes.

"Who the hell are you?" demanded Davina, turning between the Original siblings and Hayley who were staring at Caroline with a mixture of confusion, distaste and complete shock, and Marcel who simply stood against the wall, unmoving.

"Right, sorry, I'm Caroline!" Caroline gave a small half-wave to the witch. "I'm an old friend – we go _way _back," she added with a sly smile.

The air was too hot, the walls were too close and Klaus felt the seconds stretch on endlessly. A million scenarios flashed through his mind as to why _she _was here, she had no business -

(Didn't she? Did he dare hope, for the first time in years that _one day_ had arrived?)

"Caroline – " he said, calling her attention to him, but as he bored his gaze into her, she wouldn't meet his eyes. She was very, very nervous about something. He took a step forward and she straightened ever so slightly, still avoiding his gaze, but he was the _King _of this city and no threats could be made against him, not after everything he had gone through to get it.

"Caroline," he called again, a clear command for her attention. "What is going on here?"

He could see the muscles working in her throat as she gulped down a breath, her jaw tightened, and he clenched his own hands, feeling his nails dig into his palms as he did everything in his power to dispel the thought of him running his lips along the smooth column of her neck, and peppering kisses along that jawline. But those were dangerous thoughts for another time, and so he brought himself back to the present where the shock of seeing an old face was wearing off everybody else.

"What the hell is this?" screeched Rebekah, coming forward to stand by her brother's side. "What could _you _possibly have to do here, and what in God's name is wrong with Marcel?"

"You're working with her?" Davina asked Marcel, clearly hurt that she had been kept out of this little loop. Instead of answering her though, Marcel simply smiled.

"You had to be brought down here. It was very important."

"What are you talking about?"

"He doesn't know what he's doing," interjected Caroline, taking a deep breath as the attention was focused on her once more. She stared them all down, one by one, before finally speaking again. "He's been compelled."

"That's impossible," Davina spat back immediately.

"Vampires can't be compelled, except by an Original," said Elijah with narrowed eyes. "And I can assure you neither I nor my siblings have a hand in this, so I fail to see your reasoning."

"I spelled him myself," said Davina with a smug smile. "I placed a spell so that he would be protected from the Original family."

"Well – no you didn't," said Caroline, with a small, Mona Lisa smile.

"What the hell do mean-"

"You spelled him against Klaus," Caroline said, glancing at the hybrid again but quickly averting her eyes at the intensity of his gaze, "and against Rebekah and Elijah – but that was it, wasn't it? You didn't spell him against the _entire_ Original family."

"You didn't spell him against me."

Time slowed. Klaus stood rooted to his spot, going over in his mind the _hundreds _of different scenarios he had immediately conjured to mind when he laid eyes on Caroline, a hundred different ways to explain why she was here and what she wanted. But as footsteps reverberated off stone and a second intruder came down the staircase, Klaus realized that for the first time in a thousand years, he had been completely mistaken. Nothing could have prepared him for this. Nothing could have caused him to properly predict the appearance of the man who now stepped into the cavern, and took his place by Caroline side.

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight of his younger brother.

"_Oh my god_, Kol!"

"Brother?! But – how-"

The light from the torches slanted across Kol's features, his brother's lips twisted into a familiar smirk as he stared down his family, obviously delighting in their confusion. He offered no explanation to Rebekah or Elijah, instead locking eyes with Klaus, who stood closest. "Long time brother," said Kol, his words heavy with amusement.

Klaus narrowed his eyes and looked between Kol and Caroline immediately on edge from the way they stood side by side. Granted, nothing about their stance indicated that they were _together, _but Klaus had stood side by side with enough comrades in war over the centuries, he recognized the sign of two people working together. "What the hell is this?" he asked, his voice a low hiss.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Marcel had pushed himself off the wall and was rubbing his head, glancing at Kol as if he were finally realizing what was going on. "Why did I – what the fuck did you do?!"

"Oh dear, it would seem the compulsion is wearing off," said Kol with a light shrug. "No matter, you got them all down here; I suppose that's all that was needed." He spoke with his usual levity, all smirks and snark and a complete air of nonchalance, as if the whole world were beneath his feet.

"What did we need to be down here for?!" screeched Davina, panicked, but before she could get an answer, the sounds of people moving around up above caught their attention, and judging by the way voices were echoing off marble, somebody had found the open entrance of the tomb.

"Right on schedule!" said Kol happily, turning towards Caroline. "Ready Sweets?"

Caroline took a deep breath and straightened up, her hand curling into tight fists by her side. "As ready as I'll ever be," she said flatly and in the next second had blurred away, up the stairs. Klaus almost unconsciously took half a step forward to follow her, but she was gone and suddenly his brother was directly in his way, Chesire grin firmly in place.

"Sorry brother, but Caroline's got this. Stay and chat! I'm sure you all have _a lot _of questions."

"What's the hell is happening?" asked Rebekah, her voice a rushed whisper. "Are you a ghost, or a hallucination, what the hell _are _you?!"

"I'm your brother, Bekah," said Kol, his glee a sharp contrast to his sister's distress. "Alive and in the flesh!"

"No," said Elijah firmly. "You _died,_ we buried you, how are you _here?_"

"Don't be so narrow-minded 'Lijah! Anything's possible these days." Kol waved off his brother as well and Klaus could swear he was starting to see red.

"Kol, I swear to all that is good and holy, if you don't explain yourself _right now-"_

But whatever threat had rested on the tip of his tongue was cut short by the cacophony of terrified screams coming just from above their heads, bouncing off the stone and echoing through the cavern, leaving them stunned.

"What in hell…" whispered Rebekah, but Kol interrupted her with a sharp clap of his hands.

"Relax, it's all fine, nothing to worry to worry about!" he said airily. "Let's catch up! Talk about what's been going on _here._" He looked towards Klaus, "King of New Orleans again, well done Nik. Although you had a bit of a rocky start…" he cast a glance towards Hayley, who, throughout all of this, had been standing towards the back of the cavern, pressed against the wall and avoiding notice. "I have to say, I was a bit disappointed to learn I was never going to become an uncle after all. But then that's what you get for blindly trusting witches I suppose. You can never tell when they're pulling the wool over your eyes." To his credit, Kol dropped the amusement from his tone and regarded his older brother seriously.

Klaus battled the surge of anger he felt whenever anybody brought up the deception of the witches that had led to the revelation his child had never existed in the first place. If nothing else, his ensuing anger motivated his victory against them, he took the city straight from their hands. "And how are you so well informed?" he asked his little brother darkly.

Kol laughed, "I watched it all of course! The Other Side is a boring place, but you lot provided quite the entertainment. What with Rebekah's various love affairs and Elijah trying so desperately to _redeem _you – it was quite the show."

"Enough of this Kol," said Elijah, coming forward. "Explain yourself right now, tell us how you came back."

"You know what – I don't think I will," said Kol gleefully. "I'm sure the story will come out, but for now, I think watching you all scramble to put the pieces together will be so much more entertaining."

The confusion was interrupted by more screams from up above and Kol frowned, before looking towards Marcel and Davina. "Right, time to get things done – Marcel if you would please? "

"What the fuck are you talking about?" spat the vampire but Kol simply rolled his eyes.

"Time for phase two," he said and like a switch had been flipped, Marcel's eyes glazed over and he straightened up, his motions robotic. He walked up to Kol, who reached into his jacket and pulled out a wooden stake, handing it over. Once Marcel had the piece of wood, he walked towards the edge of the room, near the staircase then turned and faced the group. In a quick motion, he had sunk the stake into his chest.

"_NO!" _screamed Davina raising her hands to cast a spell that would stop him, but nothing happened, and Marcel kept inching the stake further into his chest.

"You're powerful darling, but I know witches too, and a few happened to owe me a favour. Your magic is no good within the boundaries of this cavern."

"I'll remove the compulsion!"

"You can try – but you won't manage it!" said Kol with a grin. "You don't even know the extent of what I've compelled him to do, you make one move to attack me and he runs, and I guarantee you won't be able to find him in time and remove the compulsion before he's committed no shortage of horrors, to himself and others. Surely you don't want that on your hands?"

Davina sputtered and Klaus could see the young witch hyperventilating, trying to think of a way out of this, but Marcel still had a stake perilously close to his heart and made no move to fight off Kol's hold on him.

He screamed in agony and that was enough to set off Rebekah, "Enough of this!" she yelled, blurring over to pull the stake out herself, but Marcel took one step backwards, up onto the stone staircase and Rebekah was flung back before she could reach him.

"Sorry sister – I couldn't have you interfering either, and I knew you would. I knew you all were liable to ruin my plan and that just couldn't happen." Kol regarded his sister with a hard gaze. "I needed the key players out of the way, so here you are – never fear, it's only temporary."

The thud of footsteps cut off Rebekah's furious retort and soon Caroline came down the stairs, passing Marcel with a nervous glance and standing next to Kol again.

"_Caroline…" _Klaus could barely form a horrified whisper as he took in her appearance. There was barely an inch of her that hadn't been splattered with blood, her clothes were soaked with it, it covered her neck, her hands and she hugged her arms around her middle, not able to meet his eyes. Kol looked her over with a small frown, and shrugged out of his jacket, wordlessly handing it out to her. She didn't look at him but accepted it, and quickly covered herself up, hiding the worst of the carnage.

Klaus saw all of this happen within a few seconds but he was more than ready to tear his brother's throat out.

(Not again, _not again, _he was _not _going through another bloody love triangle with a brother, _again._)

Kol was still looking over Caroline critically. "Are the vampires-"

"I took care of them."

"All of-"

"_Kol. _I took care of them." Caroline's voice was as hard as steel and she stared at a spot on the cave wall. Her demeanor was apparently enough to convince Kol that she had succeeded at whatever she had to do, so he turned back to Davina who was staring at the blood on Carolne's hands in horror.

"What did you _do?" _she asked, terrified.

"Magic requires a bit of sacrifice, surely you know that?" said Kol mockingly.

"Wait –did you just _kill _people?" asked Hayley from the back, her lips curling in disgust. Caroline kept silent but Klaus was quick to notice the tightening of her jaw and her sharp breath.

"You're not very quick on the uptake are you?" asked Kol before turning back to the young witch. "Come on now pet, we don't have much time. I need your power, and I'm sure you'd like for Marcel here to be free of my control. So come with us, do us a quick favour and everything will work out."

His words were smooth, almost reassuring but Klaus had known his younger brother for long enough to hear the threat in his words. "Nothing is happening until you explain yourself," Klaus snarled, intent on grabbing his brother himself but both Kol and Caroline were quick to step back behind the barrier, and Klaus found himself trapped before the boundary. He sought Caroline's gaze again, but still she looked away, her features schooled into a perfect mask and Klaus rebelled against the ball of desperation growing in the pit of his stomach, wishing he knew what had happened to the girl full of light that he had known. Whatever had happened, here and now was not going to be where he got answers.

Marcel grunted in pain again and Davina cried out. "Stop it, _stop,_ I'll – I'll help you!"

Kol smiled in victory, and turned to Caroline who gave him a quick nod before turning to go back up the stairs. Before she did, she cast one quick look over her shoulders and her eyes met Klaus. He was furious and confused and she gulped quickly before breaking her gaze away and running as fast as she could. At the bottom of the staircase, Kol clapped Marcel on the shoulder, his voice lowering to the steady tone of compulsion.

"Go on mate, remove the stake, but remember your other instructions." He then turned back to his siblings, "As soon as everything's taken care of, the spell will lift and you'll all be free to go home. Take Marcel with you. Now darling, come along." He extended his hand to Davina and she walked forward resolutely, ignoring him and passing Marcel with a pained look. But Kol's warning glare was enough to force her on her way. Before Kol could follow, the voice of his eldest brother called him back.

"Kol, for God's sake, tell us what's happening, what do you need Davina for? We could help you!" Elijah's desperation did nothing to evoke his brother's sympathies, Kol's gaze hardened against the plea.

"Could you? I doubt that. Relax Elijah, everything's going to work out." With that comment, he strode away, up the stairs and nothing more could be heard from him, Caroline or Davina.

Klaus turned towards his siblings, feeling the shock wear off, and he could see that they could were recovering from their stupor.

"Kol's alive," muttered Rebekah, running a hand through her hair. "Bloody hell, Kol is _alive."_

"It would have taken an impossible amount of magic," said Elijah, the gears in his head turning as he put the pieces together. "And why was Caroline Forbes with him?"

"That _wench. _He doesn't trust his own family but he enlists _her _help?!" Rebekah was livid, as she spat out her words. Klaus didn't share his sister's derision but Caroline's presence was another layer to a mystery that he wasn't wholly sure he wasn't dreaming up. There was no way this could be happening; there had been no warning, no indication, _nothing_…

The siblings lapsed into silence again, none knowing what to say. As the minutes ticked by, a cold wind rushed through the cave and the flames of the torches roared high. It was the unmistakable sign of magic and Klaus rushed forward, the barrier had been dropped. All five ran to the top of the steps and out of the tomb where they found no sign of Kol or Caroline – but Davina was there.

The young witch sat on the grass next to a grave, looking exhausted and scared. She startled once the others came out of the tomb and stood up unsteadily, Rebekah running forward to help her. "He asked me to do a spell," she explained, her voice shaking. "I don't even know for what, he just handed me this piece of really old parchment – it looked like the page from a grimoire – and he asked me to perform the spell. And I did, but I don't even know what it was for! Nothing happened, I just felt all this power and then it was over – and he was really, really happy."

The siblings looked at each other, none able to come up with any sort of explanation as to what their brother had done. "What about the 'sacrifice' he was talking about?" asked Hayley, hesitantly standing to the side, looking over the burnt out candles that had been scattered on the ground.

Davina gulped and pointed towards the darkness of the cemetery, just as the vampires all became aware of the overwhelming stench of blood that perfumed the air. With horror, they all looked towards the ground in front of the graves where a dozen bodies littered the grass.

All vampires. And they all looked as if they had had their throats torn out.

"Oh my god…" said Rebekah, her hand covering her mouth.

"Call someone to clean this up," Klaus barked towards Hayley, turning on his heel as he gave his order. This night was one giant confusing mess that he had been nothing more than a pawn in, and that was no role for the King of New Orleans.

"Nik, where are you going?" asked Rebekah.

"Where do you think sister?" he asked harshly. "We need to go home."

* * *

><p>Caroline twisted her daylight ring on her finger as she paced the polished wooden floor of the Originals' mansion in New Orleans. It was a beautiful home, and Kol had told her a few stories of the time he had spent there with his family back when they had all lived in the city. She tried to imagine all of them together and happy, but it wasn't the easiest visual to conjure up, considering their penchant for ruining each other's lives.<p>

"Stop pacing Sweets! Have a drink, celebrate – today is a good day!" Kol lounged on a leather sofa, sipping bourbon and looking distinctly at ease whereas Caroline was all nerves.

"How did they take the news?" she asked, "How did they deal with the whole issue of how you came back?"

"Oh that – I didn't tell them."

"Wait, _what?!"_ Caroline cried, rounding on him. "How the hell could you not _tell _them, don't you think they should know what's going on?"

"Why?" asked Kol, downing his drink and slamming the glass tumbler down with a little more force than necessary. "Why would I tell them, they'd simply go into a panic and accomplish absolutely nothing. I've got everything under control. _We _have everything under control."

Caroline scoffed, feeling the exhaustion of the past few days, of the past year, catch up with her. "I don't think I'd call what we do 'keeping things under control' she said tiredly. "You need their help."

Kol mulled over her words before standing up abruptly. "Look, the story will come out in time, but I want to make sure I know where all the pieces are on the board before we spill the beans."

"So what happens until then? You just stay here like nothing's happened?"

"Perhaps I want some time to reacquaint myself with my family. Is that so hard to believe?"

Caroline was ready to scoff again, and she nearly did before something about the look in Kol's eyes stopped her. He wasn't laughing now, wasn't mocking her – he looked haunted. And he had every reason to be, she knew that, from the few things he had told her about the Other Side, it was not a pleasant experience. So she refrained from making light of his comment, knowing that even if he would probably dismiss her completely if she brought it up, there was a small part of him that did genuinely want to spend time with his siblings.

(Provided of course, that time didn't result with a dagger to the heart.)

"Besides, I'm sure you and my brother won't mind becoming reacquainted, and I definitely couldn't miss that."

Now Caroline did scoff, but before she could retort the front door of the mansion banged open and Kol turned to Caroline with a now-familiar smirk. "Showtime," he whispered.

The Originals were in the living room in a second, having sensed the intrusion in their home, Marcel, Davina and Hayley right behind them. With an easy grin, Kol strode up to Marcel, looking him straight in the eye. "I release you from my compulsion. You're completely free to do as you wish." As he stepped back, Marcel let out a breath and his shoulders sagged as if a weight had been lifted. He glared at the youngest Mikaelson brother, but Kol simply held his hands up in defense.

"Sorry mate, but you were just collateral. Nothing personal."

Marcel growled but Elijah laid a hand on his arm. "Perhaps you should go for now, Davina looks exhausted." The young witch did in fact look as if she had been through the ringer and so with a parting glare, Marcel scooped her up and darted them out of the manor.

Caroline stood resolutely by Kol's side, now locked in a tense stare-off with those remaining, Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Hayley. The heavy, uncomfortable silence was suffocating. The living room was spacious but as Caroline stood there, she felt the walls closing in; the urge to run became overwhelming. She could feel their suspicious gazes on her and forced herself to meet them, remaining as cool and collected as she could possibly manage. As she faced their scrutiny, Caroline could feel her confidence growing. _Screw it, _she thought. This was not the time to retreat back to the small-town cheerleader she had been when they last knew her, she had been through too much and done too much to ever go back. Let them try to take her down now – she could handle it.

Her gaze flitted to Hayley, and she kept her expression as neutral as possible. There was bile rising in her throat but she forced herself to remain calm, reminding herself that the fact that the wolf was a traitorous, neck-snapping bitch was the reason that her fingers itched to slap her, and that her anger had nothing to do with the whole 'devil-spawn' scenario. Nope. Not at all. She did, however, take note of the fact that Hayley seemed to cower slightly at the combined force of her and Kol's stares and subconsciously took a step closer to Elijah.

'_Interesting…'_

If Kol's raised eyebrow was anything to go by, he had noticed the same thing. Caroline turned her focus to Rebekah, but the youngest Original couldn't take her eyes of her newly resurrected brother, her eyes a mix of shock, anger, confusion and …relief? Rebekah valued her family, Caroline knew. Klaus may have been her favourite brother but Caroline suddenly remembered being trapped in her school libaray while Kol and Rebekah worked over Professor Shane, looking for answers on Silas, In their own weird way, Kol and Rebekah made a team. A destructive, terrifying team, but a team nonetheless. Suddenly, Rebekah's gaze turned towards Caroline and the younger vampire just managed to stop herself from taking an involuntary step back. Rebekah looked at her with pure venom and Caroline understood intrinsically that Rebekah resented her for knowing the truth about Kol's life and keeping it to herself.

'_Sorry Rebekah, but I made a promise.'_

The last person she had yet to look at was the last person she was ready to face but she couldn't help herself. Klaus was still and silent, but she liked to think that she had become somewhat adept at reading his gaze. A stranger would think he was calm, stoic even – but she knew better. He was confused and furious about it; Klaus _hated _not being in complete control. Kol's secrets were driving him crazy, and she _knew, _without a doubt, that Klaus considered one of those secrets to be _her. _He looked at her as if he couldn't believe his own eyes. More confusion, more anger, but also a glimpse of …hope? And as she held his gaze, Caroline felt some of the tension leave her shoulders. Despite everything, despite what they had both done, she still remembers the warm press of his lips against her cheek and the warmth of his arm curled through hers as he walked her through an empty field.

Oh God…she was happy to see him again.

(Out of the corner of her eye, she swore she could see Kol shoot her a quick smirk.)

"Well, this has been _quite_ the night!" said Kol suddenly, shattering the loaded silence. He rubbed his hands together almost gleefully and the three Originals standing across from them shifted so that they stood on the defensive.

Caroline suddenly felt very, very out of place, like she was intruding on something she shouldn't be. What was she even doing here? Truthfully, she supposed that after spending months with Kol, the part of her that still believed in happy endings wanted to see him happily reunited with his family. Well, she wasn't sure how happy they were, but they were definitely reunited. Now was the time for her to quickly leave, go back to her hotel room and make a decision about where she'd go in the morning.

"I think I'll take the West Wing rooms – they aren't being used, right?" asked Kol smugly, knowing full well that the entire wing was empty and perfect for his use. He could see Elijah torn between suspicion and exhaustion, and it was his eldest brother that finally conceded.

"You are free to…you can stay."

"Well of course I'm going to stay!" said Kol happily as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Where else would I go?" he asked, spreading his arms wide and walking forward. "I'm back from the dead, permanently, I've spent months chasing down all manner of demons – I think it's high time I spent time with my _family._" He stood in front of Klaus now and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Don't look so shocked Nik! After all, I'm sure you'll appreciate the chance to get reacquainted with – Caroline? Caroline?"

They all realized simultaneously that while Kol had occupied their attention, Caroline had slipped out of the room. It was a measure of how far the young vampire had come, slipping away from four Originals was no mean feat.

"Damn" muttered Kol, frowning. He focused on his senses and smirked as he caught the sound of her heartbeat, not far from the front door. "Oi! Moneypenny!" he called out, flashing out of the room after her. A millisecond of deliberation later, Klaus followed, leaving Elijah to glance between Hayley and Rebekah and sigh.

"Go to bed. Hayley, you can stay in one of the guest bedrooms for the night," he ordered tiredly. "We'll deal with this in the morning."

As they dispersed inside, Kol caught up to Caroline who was halfway down the drive. He curled his hand around her elbow and yanked her around, his grip holding her firmly in place. "Where's the rush, Sweets?" he asked, but instead of teasing her, he sounded deadly serious.

Caroline wanted to squirm under his probing gaze but his grip tightened and she knew better than to try and escape. "It's time for me to go, Kol," she said, feeling so incredibly _tired. _"What else is there to do? There's nothing for me here."

"I still need your help!"

"You have your siblings now! Just tell them what's going on; they'll be able to do something about it!"

"You seem to have great faith in their abilities," said Kol, smirking. "I'm sure Nik must rank especially high in your esteem."

"I _don't _think about him," said Caroline through gritted teeth.

"I think we both know that's not true darling," said Kol drily, ignoring Caroline's eye roll.

"You've _got _to give up on that…" she muttered. "It's not like he still cares about – look, I can't stay, okay? I have to go-"

"Home?" asked Kol, his voice cutting. "Tell me Caroline, what home do you _possibly_ have to go back to?" He spat out the question, and Caroline flinched, willing herself to remain stoic though her eyes burned.

(But she had cried enough, and this was _not _the time.)

"I don't – I still – Kol, I can't stay!" Her voice verged on slightly desperate as she pleaded for him to see things her way. "Where would I even stay? Here?!" She shot a nervous glance at the mansion behind him. If she took up residence there, she doubted she'd last the night before Rebekah strangled her in her sleep.

Kol sighed dramatically and reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small object – a silver key. He held it up in front of her face, his stern look melting into an easy grin. "Consider this a thank-you gift," he said, taking her right hand and pressing the key into her palm. "688 Royale Street. It's got a fantastic view of the streets of the Quarter, great balcony to watch the Mardis Gras parades. Two bedrooms, if your '_friends'_ ever visit."

Caroline curled her fingers around the key, feeling the teeth dig into her palm. The slight pain was a welcome indication that this was not, in fact, a dream. "You're giving me an apartment?" she asked incredulously.

Kol's grin widened. "While living with my family was a _joy,"_ he explained, sarcasm dripping off his words, "occasionally it suited to have a getaway. Of course, if I ever had _company _and need somewhere to-"

"Okay, STOP!" cried Caroline, lifting up her hands. "If – and that's a colossal _if_– if I stay, it probably better that I don't know about what went on in your….clubhouse."

"Well I'd call it more of a bachelor pad…but it's good to know you're staying ,Sweets," he finished with a wink.

She rolled her eyes, "I didn't say I was staying," she muttered, but kept her hand curled around the key, her mind racing. Kol has a point -where could she go? Who was out there? A part of her was irritated that she couldn't just strike out on her own, be independent, but she had to swallow her pride. If she was alone and started to dwell on the past…she couldn't do it. And maybe that made her weak, maybe she was a complete _coward, _but right now Caroline needed some semblance of friendship.

(Who would've thought Kol Mikaelson would ever be considered her _friend?_)

"Take a look at the place, let me know what you think tomorrow. Goodnight for now darling!" he drawled, spinning on his heel and striding back into the house. Caroline watched him go for a moment then thoughtfully considered the small key in her hand.

'_Well, it can't kill me…'_

She turned and hopped into her car, driving off towards the heart of the French Quarter.

Kol grinned to himself as he heard her drive off; he was now quite convinced she was staying in New Orleans for a while. The benefit to finding Caroline when he did was that she was the perfect picture of someone who was completely isolated from the world, forcing her to grab onto the offer of help, no matter where it came from. She would become a resident of the city and he would have a decent buffer against his brother. Speaking of which…

"Nik, are you going to hide in the shadows whenever Caroline's around? You're not going to win her over if she can't see you." It spoke to how well Kol knew his older brother that when he felt himself being lifted from the ground and shoved against the wall next to the front door, he was not the least bit surprised. Klaus had his hands wrapped around the lapels of Kol's jacket, his grip unrelenting and his eyes murderous.

"What are you playing at?" he demanded, furious that Kol remained so calm. "_How are you alive?_!"

Kol just chuckled, seemingly unperturbed by his brother's use of force. "Oh Nik, that's a story that will surely come out with time. But for now, why don't you ask me what you really want to know?" Kol's smirk taunted him. "Ask me about _Caroline."_

Klaus felt his temper rising and fought to keep himself in check. Caroline was indeed the question he wanted to ask, but the thought of _another _bloody fight with a brother over a girl caused bile to rise in his throat.

(Besides – Caroline was _his._)

"What is she to you?" Klaus demanded through gritted teeth. "A game? A toy? Someone for you to fuck and be done with? I swear to God Kol, she is _not _one of your whores-"

His enraged rant was cut off by Kol's laughter. Once he had composed himself, he looked at his older brother with something close to pity. "you really don't understand, do you? _I never touched her. _In fact, you should be _thanking _me."

"Thanking you?!" asked Klaus, his grip tightening.

"I brought her here, to your doorstep!" I convinced her to stay, right where you'll be able to seek her out – I practically served her to you on a silver platter, so yes, you should be _thanking me." _

Klaus let go of his brother and stepped back, stunned. "How – how did you even know about her and I-"

"The Other Side is a boring place, brother," said Kol darkly. "I watched you with her sometimes."

"And bringing her here…why?"

Kol considered the question as he started up the Grand staircase, turning a few steps up and facing his dumbfounded brother. "Consider her a gesture of good faith. A peace offering."

"A peace offering?"

"Well alright," conceded Kol, "it's quite a bit more complicated than that now. But at the start, that's what I intended."

Klaus walked up a few steps, stopping just before his brother. "Kol," he said, his voice serious, "what happened to you?"

The smirk dropped from the younger Mikaelson's face, and his eyes hardened. "It's a long story, Nik. Relax – it'll all come out eventually." Without another word, Kol bounded up the stairs and made his way to the empty wing. Klaus remained on the stairs, clutching the banister like a lifeline.

Kol was alive.

_Kol was alive. _

And one thing was clear: whatever was going on – this was only the beginning.

* * *

><p><em><strong>THE WOODS OUTSIDE MYSTIC FALLS<br>MARCH 2014**_

"_Looks like you've got yourself into quite the mess," said Kol, looking way too smug for the situation. Normally Caroline would've slapped the smirk off his face but Kol was not Klaus, she didn't know how he would react – she didn't even know how he was alive. _

"_How – how is this even possible?" she asked, but he offered her no answer, instead looking at her contemplatively. _

"_I'll tell you what darling – you want answers and clearly need a helping hand. Come with me, and you'll get both."_

"_No way in fucking hell!" she cried, recoiling back. "Why, why would I go with you?"_

"_Alright then, run home," said Kol dismissively, but grinned again when he saw the anger fall from her face, only for her to look lost and scared. "You can't, can you? Judging by your current state and the fact that you were a second from pulling that pretty little ring off your finger just a moment ago, I'd say you'd do well to take up offers of help where you can find them." _

_Caroline was indignant again, but his words hit their mark. "What – what do you even need me for?" she asked him, apprehensively. "Is this – listen, I already dealt with your brother, so I definitely don't need another Original going on about how he 'fancies' me-"_

_Kol cut her off with a roar of laughter, he almost doubled over from the force of it. "Oh God, no. Do I look like Elijah to you? You're Nik's girl-"_

" _I am not 'his' girl-"_

"_Whatever you are, you're definitely not my type. But as long as you're here, I have a proposition for you." _

_Caroline took a deep breath and regarded him carefully. He hadn't killed her – and out of all her possible options, he might be the only one capable of helping her. _

_Well then. Looks like this wasn't the end after all._

_This was only the beginning._

_Can't be scared when it goes down  
><em>_Got a problem, tell me now  
><em>_Only thing that's on my mind  
><em>_Is who's gonna run this town tonight..._

* * *

><p><strong>So what's the verdict? Confused? This story is my way of bringing together my two biggest wishes for the TVD universe, that Klaroline will happen and that Kol will come back, and I'm really excited for what comes next. <strong>

**Leave a review and let me know what you thought! Until next time, goodnight!**

**(Feel free to follow me on Tumblr at hummingbirds-and-champagne)**


	2. The Phoenix

**Happy Friday! How great was 5x11 last week?! It was so great it kept me blogging and not writing, but here's Chapter 2! I am beyond grateful for the reception this story has received, thank you so so much to all of you who reviewed and alerted, it really gave me the confidence to see this concept through (and it's great to see how many people love Kol!). **

**A quick note on canon: I had initially planned for this fic to be AU post 4x23 but after 5x11, I couldn't ignore that. So I've made some subtle changes to chapter 1 so that this fic now takes place sometime after 5x11 in TVD. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter! (And please forgive the undoubtedly large amount of typos.)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned it, Klaus would not be making ridiculous promises.**

* * *

><p><em>You are a brick tied to me that's dragging me down<em>_  
><em>_Strike a match and I'll burn you to the ground__  
><em>_We are the Jack-o'-lanterns in July__  
><em>_Setting fire to the sky__  
><em>_Here, here comes this risin' tide so come on_

Light streamed in through the large windows, making the kitchen look bright and cheerful. The setting hardly matched the mood of its occupants though; two Original vampires, one werewolf, and one Hybrid all slowly crept in over the course of the morning until they all stood around the breakfast island, avoiding eye contact with each other and none daring to ask the question that lingered on everyone's minds.

'_Was last night a dream?'_

It was Hayley who finally broke the silence, her ignorance of the family's history keeping her from fully grasping the severity of the situation. "So, that was your brother last night? Kol?" She swiveled her head quizzically between the Original siblings but all she got was a quick nod from Rebekah. "He didn't die after all?"

"He died." Klaus' voice was sharp as he clenched and unclenched his fist on the marble countertop. "A hunter put a white oak stake through his heart; I watched his body burn myself." Klaus took in a breath through gritted teeth, forcing away the memory of watching his little brother's body in flames while he was powerless to help. For days he watched over Kol's corpse, cursing every deity that may or may not have existed, but he had been so _certain _that there was nothing more to be done. Kol had been dead, but now – now he didn't know what to believe.

"Maybe it's not real," said Rebekah, her voice uncharacteristically soft and nervous. "Maybe last night was a spell, or a trap, or-"

"Really Bekah, are you that disappointed to see me again?" Kol sauntered into the kitchen, a wide grin on his face as he strode past his family and made a beeline for the sleek coffee maker. As he rifled through the cupboards, his siblings openly gawked at him behind his back, once more finding themselves at a complete loss for words.

Kol set the coffee maker to brew then turned around and leant against the countertop, surveying his family. "I distinctly remember you all being much more talkative," he said mockingly. "Come on! No nagging lectures or dagger threats over breakfast? It's practically tradition!"

"Enough of your jokes, Kol," said Elijah, his voice dead serious. "Tell us what in hell is going on here."

Kol narrowed his eyes at his brother for a moment before relaxing and moving over to the large gleaming freezer. "You lot keep blood bags for emergencies, right?" he called over his shoulder, rifling through the open compartment.

"Are you drinking from blood bags now?" asked Rebekah incredulously, but as Kol pulled a bag out of the freezer he simply rolled his eyes at his sister and pulled out his phone from his pocket, tapping the screen a few times and lifting it to his ear, humming aimlessly to himself. Klaus shared a confused glance at his siblings, their own bewilderment plain on their face. Did Kol seriously intend to say nothing about how he came back to life?

Their silent debate was interrupted by Kol's cheerful voice, "Sweets!" Wake up, and come over to the mansion, I've got a cup of dark roast coffee spiked with B-positive with your name on it!" His quick endearment clued them all in as to who he was calling and Kol grinned as he listened to Caroline's response. Klaus could hear her disgruntled voice on the other end of the line, grumbling about 'beauty sleep', and 'not being able to sleep in for a year'. As Kol listened on, Klaus became aware of the amused smile on his brother's face and found himself thrown back into the grip of his own paranoia, wondering how Kol and Caroline had come to work together. The Caroline Forbes that he knew would never give Kol the time of day, so for her to willingly go off with him, to _help _him with whatever scheme his impulsive younger brother had no doubt dragged her into – it would have taken nothing short of an act of God.

Caroline must have given some sort of tacit agreement because Kol smirked triumphantly and ended his call with a cheerful "See you soon!" and grinned back at his siblings. "Caroline will be over shortly," he informed them, delighting in their discomfort, Klaus' most of all. "Why so sullen Nik, you should be happy!"

"Enough, Kol!" snapped Rebekah, tired of her brother's antics. "Why are you calling Caroline here? What does she have to do with anything?"

"Plenty, sister. Not that it's any of your business." Kol replied, his voice sharp. Rebekah stiffened at his response and her jaw tightened, saying nothing else but glaring daggers at her brother.

"Rebekah simply means that we should perhaps take some time as a family to acquaint ourselves with recent developments," said Elijah, as diplomatically as he could.

Kol rolled his eyes as his brother's attempt at pacification and narrowed in his scornful gaze on the werewolf who had managed to remain silent throughout this little episode. "If you're so hell bent on _family time, _perhaps you revaluate who you count as _family."_

Hayley sneered and was about to retort but Elijah had a thousand years to know how impulsive his younger brother could be. "Kol, you don't understand, the past few years have been… complicated. Hayley –"

"You don't have to tell me how _complicated _your lives have been, Elijah, I've had first row seats for all of it." Kol smirked then, but his eyes remained deadly serious. "Really brother, I would have thought you'd have learnt a thing or two from Tatia. A thousand years does not teach prudence, it would seem."

Silence descended on them as Elijah looked on in shock, both at the revelation that Kol had watched them so closely all these years, and had formed such strong opinions on the Other Side. Rebekah kept her silence, not wanting to hear what would surely be caustic remarks on her own failures in love, and Klaus could only imagine what opinions Kol had formed of his romantic life, or lack thereof. Yet, none of them could find the voice to banish Kol – partly because they knew the order would never stick, and partly out of the shock that still lingered. Kol being an annoying prat was _such_ a part of what he was that it solidified the fact that their brother was really, truly _alive. _

(Somehow, for now at least, it was easier to endure their brother's remarks when just last night they had thought they would never hear Kol speak again.)

"Is this a bad time?" The question pierced through the heavy tension, the hesitance in Caroline's voice giving away her anxiety. All faces swiveled to see the young blonde vampire standing in the archway to the kitchen, looking poised to run for the hills. Klaus felt his breath leave him, and for a brief moment Caroline met his eyes, but looked away just as quickly, licking her lips nervously. Klaus cursed that tiny, innocuous gesture, where _she_ was barely aware of her own actions, _he _was bombarded by the memory of what those lips tasted like, how sweet they tasted against his tongue, how she had run them over the planes of his chest years ago in the woods when he had last said goodbye to her.

"You got here quickly," commented Kol, ripping open the top of the bloodbag he was holding and mixing a little in with the fresh coffee in a mug. He held the concoction out to her and after another glance at the others, she flashed to Kol's side, taking the mug and sipping it.

"Serioulsy, how did you get here so fast?" asked Kol curiously, and Caroline gave a light shrug in response.

"Maybe your driving skills rubbed off on me," said Caroline drily, taking another sip. Klaus watched her carefully, ignoring the pang of anger and jealously at her casual allusion to her and Kol's time together. Instead, he focused on the slight grimace she swore as she sipped her drink – there was something _off _about her. He had spent enough time observing her to know when something was wrong and if the furrow in her brow and the downturn of her lips was anything to go by, then there was definitely something bothering her.

The kitchen had lapsed into silence again. Caroline and Kol and all their secrets kept a silent wall between them and the others, and Klaus itched to break it down, by any means necessary.

"What exactly is the point of this, Kol?" asked Rebekah irritated beyond belief.

"Thank you for the reminder sister – we have work to do," he informed Caroline, turning to her with a smirk.

"Work?" asked Caroline warily. She shot a glance between Kol, who had pulled out his phone, and the Originals who were watching them very carefully.

"Here you go, Sweets, have a look." Kol handed her his phone and as she read the screen, faced the rest of his family who was waiting expectantly.

"Well? Are you going to let us in on your little scheme?" asked Rebekah petulantly.

"Now why would I go and do a thing like that?" asked Kol, with a roll of his eyes.

Caroline looked up from the phone in her hand and eyed the Original siblings, still doing her best to keep her eyes away from Klaus, which did not escape the hybrid's notice. He fought the growl building in his chest, instead channeling his irritation onto his infuriating little brother.

"Kol, for God's sake, you are in _my _city, so tell us what the bloody hell you're up to!" he snarled. Kol simply raised an eyebrow and pushed up from the counter, coming to stand right in front of his brother.

"Oh Nik," he said mockingly, "When are you going to learn? I'm too used to your threats. I've got worse things to worry about."

"Kol, maybe you should tell him…" Caroline's suggestion fell on deaf ears however, as Kol simply smirked at his brother as he answered her.

"Not today, bigger fish to fry. Come along Moneypenney!" With that he flashed out of the room, leaving them all gaping after him.

Caroline stuttered as she found herself suddenly left alone with the Originals. One by one they turned back to face her and she immediately missed the buffer Kol provided. His phone was still clutched in her hand and she glanced down at the picture on the screen and back up at the hostile stare she was receiving from Rebekah, cursing under her breath. "Dammit Kol!" she muttered before taking a breath and flashing out of the room after him while she still had the chance.

"So is that it then? Are we just going to have to put up with this from now on, not getting a single answer out of either of them?" snarled Rebekah, slamming her hand against the countertop, denting it just a smidge.

"Well, unless you want to interrogate both of them, I don't see what we can do, exactly," said Elijah, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Kol won't crack but I can probably make Caroline talk," said Rebekah darkly, her musings interrupted by her brother's loud growl.

"You're not laying a hand on her Rebekah," said Klaus, "I'll figure this out one way or another." With that, he stalked out of the room, leaving his sister to roll her eyes.

"Of course he's still _infatuated _with her," she spat.

"You know what…I think I'm going to head back into the bayou and stay with the wolves for a while," said Hayley, looking between Elijah and Rebekah.

"That's probably for the best," said Elijah with a heavy sigh, glancing at the direction his brothers had gone and wondering how exactly his world had changed so quickly.

* * *

><p>The sun shone brightly and the Louisiana air was warm as Kol sauntered down the street away from the mansion, whistling to himself. He grinned as he heard the telltale sounds of a certain blonde running to catch up with him, and not a moment later Caroline stood next to him, matching his stride.<p>

"You forgot your phone," she said, handing it over to him.

He took the device and flicked through the news article he had shown to Caroline, telling the story of one of New Orleans' newest real estate entrepreneurs, nothing more than a business mogul to the humans of the city. (And to most of the supernatural as well, come to think of it.)

"By the way – Monneypenny? I'm not your secretary, Kol!" said Caroline irritated, but Kol just chuckled at her annoyance.

"Say what you like, I think it suits you." She punched his arm lightly in retaliation, but Kol just grinned at her.

"Alright, so what's up with that guy? What's so important that you just _had _to drag me out of bed?"

"Speaking of which, how's the apartment working out for you?" he asked, shooting her a smirk.

"It's actually pretty nice," said Caroline honestly, "it's cozy. I was surprised, I figured you for more of a 'dark castle which a dungeon' type."

"That's more Nik's taste, darling. I take it you'll be staying there then?"

"I will," said Caroline with a deep breath. "After all, where else am I going to go?" she added quietly. She felt Kol assessing her, and not wanting to deal with any concern right now, she perked herself back up. "Anyway, I'm probably going to have my hands full redecorating and fumigating and cleaning off that weird brownish stain on the ceiling which I _seriously _hope isn't dried blood, so can we please get back to the mystery guy? Why's he important?"

"Jack Carraway, on his way to becoming a Fortune 500 CEO, runs a _very _successful real estate company with buildings all over the world."

"And you're planning on going into business with him?" asked Caroline bewildered.

"He was on the list."

Caroline stopped dead in her tracks, grabbing Kol's arm to pull him back. "The list from New York?!" she asked, her voice hushed as if she were afraid someone was listening. "Is that why you wanted to come to New Orleans?"

"Well, I needed the little witch too; this is just two birds with one stone."

"And your family's here," said Caroline under her breath, but Kol caught her words and looked away, a small frown on his face.

"And them too," he agreed, but added nothing else. "So, Sweets, are you in or not?"

Caroline sighed. "Alright, what do I have to do?"

"Go in, have a chat, see if you can't poke around his office a bit and find anything _incriminating._"

"Why can't I just compel my way in there?"

"Because Mr. Carraway is a vampire, and I've got things to do with the witches of the Quarter today. Come on," he said, noting the reluctance on her face. "We've been doing this for _ages. _Surely Cecily Fairbanks will have no problem with this?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, but couldn't help the small smile on her face. "Well, I _did _keep all those fake IDs. Alright, give me a few hours. I'll call you tonight if I find anything." With those parting words, she turned and went back towards her car, leaving Kol to resume his whistling as he made his way down towards the heart of the French Quarter, where the witches resided.

As Kol sauntered off, Klaus watched his brother from a distance, debating on whether or not it would be smarter to follow him or Caroline. Granted, as soon as he had seen Caroline break off on her own he had itched to follow her, but the part of him that burned with the need to know the truth about Kol won out, and so he found himself stalking Kol as he walked through the city. The beautiful blonde wasn't far off his mind though; he let himself dwell on her odd behavior. Everything from her 'friendship' with Kol to her apparent distaste for the blood in her coffee worried him – but he needed to focus on his brother.

'_All good things to those who wait.'_

* * *

><p><em><strong>ON THE ROAD, NORTH CAROLINA<br>MARCH 2014**_

"_You drive way too fast!" cried Caroline as Kol maneuvered the car along the freeway, gleefully swerving around anybody else on the road, ignoring the honks and yells from other drivers. "Speeding laws are at thing that exist you know!" _

"_Oh God, are you always going to be like this?" asked Kol with a sneer, pressing his foot down on the accelerator just a bit more, grinning when she shrieked. "Relax, darling, you're an immortal. You can't die."_

"_We can still get speeding tickets!"_

"_Compulsion is a thing that exists you know!" Kol mocked, and Caroline scoffed. _

"_Great, just great, I'm stuck with the world's first adrenaline junkie," she muttered under her breath, screeching when the car swerved violently and she had to brace herself against the window, snapping her neck around to see at least five cars frantically trying to get themselves back in their proper lanes. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!" _

"_No one died, and that's more than I can say for the time I took up drag racing in Tokyo, so would you please stop screeching like a deranged harpy?" Kol ignored Caroline's less than flattering response and left the highway behind, moving onto one of the rural roads which boasted little except empty land and slightly in the distance, a lone diner. _

"_Feeling peckish, darling?" he asked her with a sly grin, leaving no room to guess as to what he was after. He was craving some nice warm blood, and if the slight pallor on Caroline's face was anything to go by, she could use some nourishment too. He hadn't seen her near a single drop of blood since she had cleaned herself up yesterday at the motel they stopped at, but she it was clear she would need blood sooner or later._

"_Kol – I don't think, this is the best idea-"_

_He sighed, having expected this response. As they came up to the diner he jerked the car to a stop, letting Caroline brace herself against the dashboard and waiting while she turned to him with another reprimand, only to stop when she saw the cold look in his eyes. _

"_Listen carefully, little vampire. I am not my brother, I am not infatuated with you, therefore I have no qualms about compelling you into submission, understand? Now, let's get a bite, shall we?" He smirked as she stuttered slightly, jumping out of the car and striding into the diner. There were only a handful of people present, and the young woman behind the counter perked up immediately upon seeing him._

_Kol grinned to himself, taking a seat in one of the booths along the wall, leaning back in his seat and waiting until the waitress came over with a menu and an eager smile. _

"_Hey there!" she chirped, "you're a new face. What brings you all the way out here?" _

"_Just passing through, sweetheart," he said smoothly, noting how she flushed when she heard his accent. Hunting had almost become too easy nowadays. _

"_So, is there anything I can get you?" she asked, batting her eyelashes and leaning over the table. _

"_Just two cokes, thanks." _

_The order didn't come from Kol and the waitress whirled around, her expression visibly souring as she saw the blonde now slipping into the booth opposite Kol, neatly folding her hands on the table, and looking back up at her. "We'll be fine with that for now." _

_Caroline's words were an obvious dismissal, and she didn't miss the sneer the waitress sent her as she marched away. She sighed to herself, wishing she could get some gratitude for just saving that girl's life, but at least she was alive. Kol was staring her down and she made herself meet his eyes, doing her best to appear unfazed by his earlier threat. _

"_It won't do much good you know," he said, crossing his arms. "I'm going to feed eventually; you won't be able to stop me."_

"_Can't I try?" Caroline asked, knowing how completely futile her words were. _

"_What is it with you?" Kol asked, leaning forward, his coldness melting into genuine confusion. "I found you drenched in blood, you refuse to talk about why, and now you don't want to be near a drop of the stuff, which is rather inconvenient considering your status as a vampire."_

"_I'm dealing with it," Caroline said through gritted teeth. _

"_Dealing with what exactly?" Kol pressed. But she avoided his gaze and remained silent. Kol rolled his eyes at her stubbornness, "Fine, deal with it yourself then."_

"_I shouldn't have done this," muttered Caroline, more to herself than to him. "What was I thinking, why would I ever think that you could possibly do anything to help, I need to go…" Her rambling was getting more frantic and grating on Kol's nerves more, so when the pretty waitress came back a moment later with two cokes, he considered her a godsend. _

"_Here you go," she said flatly, placing their drinks down on the table, noticeably deflated because of Caroline's presence. _

"_Thanks so much, sweetheart," said Kol, his voice dripping with charm and the young woman brightened up immediately, neither of them paying attention to the glare Caroline was giving him. _

"_Now pet, why don't you be good and stay quiet, alright?" Kol pupils dilated and the compulsion took hold instantly, her body relaxing and he reached for her wrist bringing it to his mouth. _

_The booth was tucked away in the corner but it was not nearly private enough for Caroline's taste and she hissed at Kol's audacity. "Are you freaking insane?" she said, looking furtively around the diner. _

"_Caroline, relax," said Kol, bringing the girl's wrist to his lips before she was suddenly ripped away from him. He snarled, fangs bared and ready to snap Caroline's neck before realizing that it hadn't been her who had interrupted his meal. _

_Standing around the booth now were the other occupants of the diner, no more than five, but all had red eyes and protruding fangs, ready for a quick fight. _

"_Well, well, looks like you've got a little gang here. That's adorable," drawled Kol, reclining against the fake leather seat, and grinning across the table to Caroline, who looked distinctly uncomfortable. Oddly enough, she didn't appear frightened of a fight – she kept taking deep breaths, her hands curled into fists on the tabletop, he could see her knuckles turning white. She turned away from the vampires, squeezing her eyes shut, but he couldn't dwell on her strange behavior because the vampires surrounding them were readying to take them out. _

"_This is our territory, buddy," said one of the vampires sternly. "No one feeds around here without our permission."_

_Kol laughed in his face, flashing to his feet. "Permission?! Did you hear that Caroline – they want us to ask permission!" Caroline didn't answer but Kol was having too much fun. He bared his own fangs against the group and shot out a hand to wrap around the nearest one's throat – but at the last second his grip faltered. He felt his chest compress and a sudden pain in his head became nearly blinding. The vampires grabbed him and threw him to the ground, and as his vision blurred he started to panic. _

'_They did say this would happen…' _

_Caroline's shrieks rang out somewhere from his left, a sharp crack rang out through the diner, the unmistakable sound of bone being shattered and Kol wondered just what they were doing to her. He felt a small twinge of displeasure at the thought of them tearing her apart, the stench of blood flowed through the air and he fought to regain his strength, battling against the fog his senses were in. All he could hear were screams, all he could smell was blood and he took several gasping breaths. The wave of weakness was ebbing, he could feel the clarity returning to him, just as quickly as it had left. He had been told of the possibility of this, but dammit he hadn't taken the warning seriously!_

_The second he felt his strength fully return, he flashed to his feet, expecting to be met with five very angry vampires and one ripped apart corpse – but what he got was a complete inversion. Five vampires lay on the floor, their necks completely ravaged, blood pouring from their bodies. The poor waitress hadn't been able to escape the carnage, she lay a few feet away. And standing in the middle of it all, was the little baby vampire who should not have been capable of any of this._

"_Caroline?!" Kol asked, honestly shocked. She whirled around to face him, her eyes darkened with bloodlust and she stared at him for a moment before flashing forward with a growl, pushing against him, fighting to take him down, her jaw snapping as she tried to sink her fangs into his neck. _

"_Caroline – Caroline!" yelled Kol, fighting to wrap his arms around her so that she would be unable to move and he managed it eventually, holding her in place, her back against his chest as she struggled like an animal, kicking and snarling. Eventually though, her breathing evened out and she relaxed, panting heavily. Kol hesitantly let go of her and he turned to face him, her features back to normal. _

"_Oh god – oh my god, oh my god – did I just – are they all dead because…"_

"_Oh yes," said Kol, his eyes narrowed. "Now darling, be honest – what's all this about?" _

_He remained frighteningly calm and Caroline actually appreciated that, one of them had to keep it together and she could feel her tenuous hold on her own sanity slipping. She took a deep breath, and made a decision on the spot. "It turns out –" she broke off, taking a deep breath. "It turns out, I'm a whole different kind of monster."_

"_Tell me everything."_

* * *

><p>Caroline checked her appearance in the mirror on the elevator wall, satisfied that she was primped enough to fit right in with the upscale professional crowd. 'Cecily Fairbanks' was a young entrepreneur, looking to sink her daddy's money into some condos in Los Angeles, and Caroline allowed herself to enjoy the ruse. She had been a drama major, after all. The skyscraper in the middle of the city offered a beautiful view of the Crescent City and Caroline took it in through the glass window of the elevator. A part of her had wondered what made this city so enticing to Klaus that he was willing to go through so much trouble to rule it, but it was definitely an interesting place to be, <em>especially <em>if you were supernatural. And supernatural she was, even if she was currently pretending otherwise.

The elevator dinged and Caroline stepped out into a sleek reception area, all streamlined furniture and large windows. She could see no sign of the man she wanted to meet, but his receptionist looked up with a smile.

"Can I help you?" she asked and Caroline walked up with a bright smile.

"My name is Cecily Fairbanks and I have an appointment with Mr. Carraway. Let me into his office," she said evenly, compelling the young woman effortlessly. It worked like a charm and not a minute later Caroline found herself in the man's office, carefully looking around to see if there were any signs of certain extracurricular activities. Spying a black organizer on the man's desk, she darted forward and flipped through the book, finding nothing but mundane appointments. With an irritated huff, she was ready to throw it down, but something caught her eye – underneath the space for January 23, Carraway had simply drawn a symbol. She recognized it as a rune, something Kol had taught her, it was a like a backwards 'Z' tilted slightly to the right. Committing it to memory, she grinned. It wasn't a lot to go on, but it was enough for now.

The sound of the receptionist talking brought her back to the present, and she carefully placed the organizer back on the desk and sat down in one of the plush armchairs in front of the desk. The mahogany door swung open and Caroline plastered a smile on her face, rising and turning, her hand outstretched. "Mr. Carraway, my name is Cecily…" she trailed off, stunned as she looked at the man in front of her, who was decidedly _not _Jack Carraway.

"Cecily? Yesterday, I'm pretty sure it was Caroline."

"_Marcel." _Caroline dropped her pretense and curled her fists, but before she could attack, he had swung up his hand Caroline felt the telltale prick of a needle in her arm and vervain flood her system. She struggled to stay upright, but the toxin took over and she sunk to the ground, everything fading to black.

* * *

><p>Kol strode through the Quarter, dawdling at the stalls of the witches. Normally, they would have jumped at the chance to peddle their wares, but the instant Kol neared them, they shrank back, some abandoning their tables all together, shooting furtive looks at each other and muttering protection spells against the handsome stranger who had the air of the devil around him. Kol noticed all of this but remain unperturbed, knowing that the magic that had resurrected him would likely cling for a long time before its aura faded completely.<p>

As he strolled down Bourbon street, he became aware once again of a presence on his trail and he sighed to himself, turning and slipping into a deserted alleyway, walking right in, idly kicking a can out of his way. It clanged against a brick wall, the sound echoing, and he came to a stop, standing stock still, a smug smile on his face.

"Come on Nik! I know you're out there!" Kol was not disappointed, a moment later Klaus stood in front of him, seemingly having materialized out of nowhere. "And there he is! The King of New Orleans, fiercely protecting his kingdom against its newest threat – his own baby brother."

Klaus growled and flashed forward, but Kol anticipated his brother's move and darted out of the way. He didn't run though – this was_ way_ too much fun.

"_Enough, _Kol!" Klaus growled, every inch the Original Hybrid. Back from the dead or not, he would've been more than happy to sink his fangs into his brother and let him deal with the effects of hybrid venom. It didn't matter that Kol wouldn't die, it would _hurt, _and Klaus wanted nothing more than to take his brother, tame his boundless arrogance.

(And maybe, just maybe, a delirious Kol would be more open to telling the truth.)

"You're wasting your time with me brother," Kol called out, dodging another attack. "Why are you even bothering with me? You probably would've been better served following Caroline."

"He's right, you know."

Both Mikaelson brothers halted their dance around each other and spun to meet the intruder on their little spat. Marcel stood at the mouth of the alleyway, looking too casual for someone who had just interrupted a fight between two of the oldest creatures on the planet.

"Whatever it is, Marcel, it's going to have to wait," snarled Klaus, still watching his brother out of the corner of his eye.

"Actually, I think you're both going to be very interested in this," said Marcel with a cold smile. "It's about a certain pretty little blonde. Caroline, right? Only it was 'Cecily' when I picked her up this afternoon."

"What have you done," Kol asked, his voice a deadly whisper.

Marcel smirked. "You should both come to the church," he said before flashing off. The two brothers were left to look at each other for just a second before coming to a silent agreement and following Marcel.

* * *

><p>Caroline lifted her head from the ground with a groan. She was lying on a wooden floor, her limbs heavy and head pounding like a jackhammer. The office, the symbol in the book, <em>Marcel, <em>it all rushed back to her and she gasped, trying to stand.

"It's no use." The voice belonged to the young witch, Davina, and Caroline managed to sit up to see her standing some ways away, a young man by her side. They were in a high ceilinged room, it reminded her of an attic.

"Whatever you're doing, it's probably not going to end well," said Caroline as she brought a hand against her aching head.

"We'll see about that," spat Davina. "You think you can just come into this city and start slaughtering? That's not how things work, not here."

"Could've fooled me," said Caroline and Davina's eyes narrowed.

"You won't be able to do much," she said with a sneer. "I've cast a spell to mimic the feeling of starvation – you're too weak to fight back, and Josh here," she gestured to the young man, "is strong enough to hold you."

Josh shot a smile at Davina as the witch marched away then looked back at Caroline warily. "Don't think you'll be stronger than me just because you're older," he said, his voice a little shaky but obviously making an effort to sound intimidating.

"You should get out, Josh," said Caroline as calmly as she could but she could feel her veins on fire, the telltale signs of bloodlust coming through, her head and gums ached, and her senses were heightening, ready to tear, to _rip, _to _kill._ "Josh, _seriously. Get. Out." _

Josh just laughed nervously. "Not a chance."

Caroline clenched her eyes shut and did her best to stay in control. But she could feel herself slipping, and it wouldn't be long now – there was no way this was going to end well.

Klaus and Kol strode into the old church where so much business of the supernatural was conducted, the place Davina had lived when she was still in hiding from the other witches. Klaus quickly scanned the large hall, noting that Marcel had at least two of his old lackeys spread out while he himself stood at the end of the aisle, waiting for them with a wide smile.

"Took you guys long enough!" he said, spreading his arms, as if he was welcoming them to a party.

"Marcel, where is she?" asked Klaus, barely refraining from snarling out his question. "She is not to be harmed, do you hear me?! You are not to touch a _single _hair on her head."

"Klaus, do you realize what your saying?" asked Marcel incredulously. "She came in here with _him,"_ he gestured towards Kol, "and she killed a dozen vampires. She killed in _our _kingdom, she deserves death!"

"She will get no such thing," said Klaus in a low whisper.

"What the hell are you on?" yelled Marcel, his calm façade slipping completely. "You're supposed to be the fucking _king!" _

"I AM KING!" Klaus roared. "And I'm giving you a direct order, _tell me where she is!" _

"She upstairs!" Davina was coming down the stairs, her arms outstretched, ready to take him down if necessary. "I don't care what magic I have to do, she deserves to pay!"

"So sorry pet, but that won't be happening anytime soon," said Kol with a sneer. "Tell me…how exactly are you keeping her captive?"

Davina couldn't help but gloat, "I cast a spell," she said smugly. "It makes her feel like she's _starving, _and she's locked in, she's too weak to do anything to anybody now."

Klaus snarled, but Kol simply relaxed his tense pose, looking Davina over with a light smile. "And who exactly is watching over her?" he asked curiously.

"A vampire," said Davina, her confidence wavering in the face of Kol's nonchalance. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

To the surprise of everyone assembled, Kol threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Oh this is good, this is _too _good," he said, nearly doubling over. "God, this is going to be _so _entertaining!"

Klaus gaped at his brother, the others looked to each other in confusion. Kol eventually stopped his laughter and looked them over pityingly. "Let me understand this – you cast a spell to mimic starvation, and then locked her in a room with a vampire? God, you really are idiots, aren't you? Relax Nik," he said, looking over at his brother, "Caroline's going to be just fine. Now, your friend, on the other hand…" he trailed off with a grin and silence ensued for just a moment before a strangled scream came from upstairs.

Two figures, almost intertwined, stumbled down the stairs, and it quickly became apparent that it was Caroline struggling with another vampire, the one who was keeping an eye on her. Only, she wasn't trying to escape from him – _he _was trying to escape from _her. _ Caroline had her fangs sunk into his neck and she drank greedily before ripping away, the throat of the young vampire torn out and his dead body falling to the floor.

"_JOSH!" _ screamed Davina and she rushed forward, sobbing.

Caroline stumbled in her spot, her vampiric features still out in full force. The other vampires charged her but it was no use, she was strong enough to throw them off and was about a second from ripping into them too before a yell stopped her.

"_CAROLINE!" _Kol's voice was sharp and commanding and it managed to break her out of her stupor for just a moment, long enough to look around and let the panic set in. Her terrified gaze found his and she could feel herself reverting back, the pungent smell of blood was too overwhelming, Davina's spell had been too good, and she knew there was no way she could stop.

"Dawson's" she whispered quickly and in the next second Kol had flashed towards her, taking her head in his hands and snapping it in one fluid motion. He caught her body as she fell over and quickly pulled her back from an incensed Davina and Marcel. The witch was too mired in grief to do much of anything and Marcel was pulling her away, but not before shooting one hateful glare at the Mikaelson brothers.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" yelled Klaus, eyeing Caroline's prone form in his brother's arms. He wasn't sure what part of that scenario incensed him the most.

"Relax, Nik," said Kol, but his tone was grim for the first time all day. "Look – you don't have to rip my head off, just take her home, alright?"

"What was that? How did she just do that?!" asked Klaus as he took Caroline from his brother, carefully cradling her against his chest.

"You can ask her that yourself," said Kol as he walked away from the two, heading to take care of Marcel's friends who were regaining consciousness.

Klaus took one look at the girl in his arms before coming to a conclusion. This was one story he definitely needed to hear from her.

* * *

><p>For the second time that day, Caroline felt the pounding in her head, her neck ached and her body was weighed down in fatigue. She reached up a hand to rub her neck, recognizing the sign of a neck-snapping. <em>Damn. <em>This was going to be a bitch to explain. "K-Kol?" she called out, sensing someone else was in the apartment. No doubt the Original was making sure she wasn't about to go into a panic attack, though she hadn't had one in months.

"No such luck, sweetheart."

(Now that definitely wasn't Kol.)

Caroline jolted up, almost immediately regretting the decision as her still-sore neck cracked in the process. Across from the sofa on which she lay, Klaus sat in a dusty armchair, his hands gripping the armrests, his face disconcertingly blank. Angry Klaus she could deal with, but a Klaus who showed no emotion at all was a whole different type of terror.

"_Klaus." _His nearness was quickly stealing her former resolve to be calm around him. "Is Kol here?" she asked with a quick glance around the living room.

"It's just us," Klaus replied stonily.

(Just them. _Just them. _It hadn't been 'just them' since that day in the woods years ago, the memories of which were suddenly flooding her senses.)

"Okay," said Caroline shakily. The air was heavy with awkward tension. Caroline did her damned best to look verywhere but right at Klaus, though she could feel his eyes boring into her unwaveringly. "So – thank you for bringing me back here, Klaus," she said, trying to stay calm and relaxed. "I'll be fine, so if you want to go –"

"What happened to you, Caroline?"

Caroline flinched, ever so slightly. Klaus never moved, simply kept his gaze on her and his voice dangerously low. "Klaus, really, I'm fine –"

"You _are not _fine!" he hissed, finally letting some of his fury slip through.

"I know it looks bad –"

"_Looks bad?! _Caroline, you _tore _through a dozen vampires last night, you ripped through one today and nearly killed two more –"

"Klaus, _stop," _Caroline said through gritted teeth, standing up from the sofa and clenching her fists, eyes tightly shut against the barrage of emotions she felt at the reminder of her deeds. "Just…stop."

"The hell I will," Klaus growled, standing to match her stance. "Was this my brother's doing? Did he teach you how to do this, how to rip through your enemies, just so he could craft you into some sort of weapon against me –"

"Oh my god, NO!" yelled Caroline, her eyes snapping open so that she could glare right back at him, her hands settling on her hips. "Why do you just automatically assume _everything _is some giant conspiracy against you?"

Klaus took two steps forward until he stood directly in front of her, his eyes blazing. He had the height advantage, so that he could stare her down but Caroline met his stare fearlessly.

"Explain it to me then," Klaus demanded in a low whisper. Having her so close was a jarring reminder of the last time had had her so close and he practically ached to reach out and wrap his arms around her waist but he kept himself in check, mindful of all the secrets she was keeping from him. He wanted answers.

(He tries so hard not to dwell on how much he wanted _her._)

Caroline's mind was at war; on one hand she held onto the truth fiercely, not trusting that telling him wouldn't backfire somehow. Then again, the weight of her (not so little) secret was already straining, and she wanted _so badly _to tell Klaus – wanted him to understand. Still…

"Klaus, you don't' want to get involved, trust me, I'm a lost cause."

"But _why?"_ he asked, "The last time I saw you, you were a bastion of self-control, you were on a strict blood bag diet and now you're tearing out _vampires' _throats –" He broke off, noticing the pained look on her face. She didn't want this, he realized. Whatever had happened, she wasn't happy with her current state.

Caroline took a step back, running a hand through her blonde curls tiredly. Coming to a decision, she sat back down, leaning forward and bracing her hands on her knees. "Alright, take a seat."

Klaus complied with her order and Caroline took a deep breath. "Klaus, how much do you know about the Augustine Society?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>THE DINER IN NORTH CAROLINA<br>MARCH 2014**_

"_How long did they have you?"_

"_Five weeks. Long enough." _

"_Jesus Christ..." Kol ran a hand over his face. He and Caroline were seated once more in the corner booth, ignoring the carnage that littered the floor. "So – is your bloodlust heightened then?"_

_Caroline nodded. "Mostly, they screwed with my system so that I only really crave vampire blood. I can drink human blood but it doesn't satisfy me, and the cravings just end up being worse."_

_Kol exhaled loudly, leaning back in his seat. "That's one hell of a story, darling," he said, his voice tinged with a newfound respect for the baby vampire in front of him. "And I suppose when I found you yesterday, something had happened…"_

"_Long story short, it was bad," said Caroline tersely, not willing to divulge the full details just yet. She didn't want to think about it, that was why she had been willing to leave with Kol. Anything to get away. _

"_Well, we can work with this!" said Kol cheerfully, and Caroline looked at him, bewildered. _

"'_Work with this?'" she asked incredulously. "Seriously?" _

"_Darling, this works out perfectly for us. Am I correct in assuming that you do not want to lose control and become a blood lusting monster every time a group of vampires surrounds you?" Caroline nodded and he pressed on. "So here's what I propose – you help me with a few things I need to take care of, and in return, I'll make sure to hold you back when you don't want to rip out the throats of everybody in the near vicinity."_

_Caroline considered his offer for a moment. "Kol – you still haven't told me what exactly you're doing. How did you come back, what are you doing, why do you need me?"_

"_To answer your first two questions, I'll explain on the way. As for needing you…well, I thought you might come in handy. Lo and behold, I was correct! Now what do you say?"_

_Caroline wasn't sure how much she appreciated Kol's nonchalance, but a small part of her was so glad that somebody wasn't treating her like a dangerous freak. She couldn't go back and she didn't know how to go forward – so there was only one thing to do. "Alright. I'm in. But we should work something out, like when you should jump in and hold me back." Absentmindedly she fiddled with the menu on the table, with the large 'Dawson's Diner' printed on the top. "Dawson's," she said suddenly looking up at Kol. "It'll be like a codeword – I say 'Dawson's' and you hold me back." For the first time since Caroline had managed to get away from the cold prison at Whitmore, she felt like she had some control over her life, and she latched onto that feeling. "Deal?" she asked, sticking her hand out. _

_Kol grinned at her and nodded resolutely. "You have a deal," and he shook her hand._

* * *

><p>"So…that's the story," said Caroline nervously, playing with her fingers. Klaus had remained silent for the duration of her story, and he looked at her now, his gaze a mix of concern and fear. But he wasn't scared <em>of <em>her, she knew that much. He was scared _for _her.

"Caroline…when all of this happened, why didn't you come here?" he asked her, his voice pained. "Sweetheart, I would've helped you, you have to know that." He stood up from the chair and took a seat next to her on the sofa. His close proximity both set her nerves on edge and relaxed her, and she took a breath, getting used to having him so close.

"I didn't know – I wasn't sure how you would take seeing me again," she admitted. "Plus, Tyler had told me about Hayley…" she dropped off, not wanting to remind him of that little issue.

Klaus fought down the growl that immediately formed whenever he thought about the child he once thought he would have, and focused instead on the woman in front of him. If he had known , the last time he saw her, that she would go through so much he never would've have made a promise to stay away. He never should've made that promise in the first place.

"Caroline…we're friends aren't we?" he asked, hesitantly.

She looked up at him, shocked, but eventually nodded slightly. "I think so," she said quietly.

"Then let me help you break the conditioning."

"Are you serious?" she asked him, sitting up straighter.

"Completely. I know my brother used you as a weapon –"

"It was nothing I didn't agree to," Caroline interjected, and Klaus frowned.

"Regardless, I'm going to help you work through this." He reached forward and took her hand running his thumb over her knuckles. Caroline took in a sharp breath, and met his eyes, a small smile forming on her face.

"Alright," she said softly. "If you think you can…you can help me. But listen – no going after Kol, okay? If it wasn't for him, I don't know what I would've done this past year."

Klaus frowned at that, but said nothing more and the two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence, as he continued holding her hand. Caroline had no idea what Klaus planned to do, but for tonight, she relished in the memory of what it felt like to be safe.

_Hey young blood doesn't it feel like our time is running out  
>I'm gonna change you like a remix<br>Then I'll raise you like a phoenix  
>Wearin' our vintage misery<br>No, I think it looked a little better on me  
>I'm gonna change you like a remix<br>Then I'll raise you like a phoenix_

* * *

><p><strong>And that's chapter 2! Please do let me know what you think! Lot's of things are coming up, and I'd love to hear your predictions. <strong>

**Chapter title and song lyrics are from "The Phoenix" by Fall Out Boy**

**Thank you for reading! Feel free to follow me on tumblr at hummingbirds-and-champagne. Until next time!**


	3. Secrets

**Authors Note: This chapter is brought to you by my professors who cancelled their classes today, thus giving me time to write. Because who needs an education when you can write about your OTP all day? **

**Thank you so, so much to all of those who reviewed and alerted (apologies for not replying to reviews yet, but I'll be getting right on that!) I am so massively appreciative of all the feedback. You're all amazing.**

**This fic now has a cover, courtesy of Nicole (nfinneman on Tumblr), she is absolutely amazing and you should all go check out her blog. Right now. Anyway, happy reading!**

**Disclaimer: If I wrote this show, I'd be nicer to the shippers. Just saying.**

* * *

><p><em>'Til all my sleeves are stained red<br>From all the truth that I've said  
>Come by it honestly I swear<br>Thought you saw me wink, no  
>I've been on the brink, so<em>

_**ON THE ROAD, TENNESSEE  
>APRIL 2014<strong>_

_Caroline jolted awake, her hands immediately going to her sore neck. She groaned slowly, trying to make sense of her surroundings, but everything was a blurry haze. The ceiling was low, she could feel her feet pressing against a barrier and whatever she was lying on was – rocking? The distinct smell of leather finally clued her in as she realized she was stretched across the backseat of a moving car that was probably moving way over the speed limit. _

_(But it's been two weeks and she knows complaining will do no good.)_

"_Morning Darling!" chirped Kol from the front seat, eyeing the young vampire in the rearview mirror. "And how are we feeling today?"_

"_Like shit," Caroline replied, pulling herself up into a sitting position. "And you're way too perky, and that's saying something coming from me."_

_Kol just grinned wider and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel idly. "I'm in a good mood, Caroline. You had quite a night yesterday."_

_Caroline's brow furrowed as she tried to make sense of what he meant. Last night was a bit of a blur, but she tried to piece it together – they had stopped at a bar, she had been wondering how difficult it would be to get some fresh vampire blood to sate her growing thirst, when all of a sudden a loud crash had alerted the entire bar to the fight between one of the regulars and the smug stranger with a foreign accent to had been trying to get his hands up a girl's skirt. And of course they had found a place crawling with vampires and of course the young lady in question was the girlfriend of one of the older vamps because of course Kol just had to do whatever he wanted and fuck the consequences. _

_There was something missing though – something about that scenario that wasn't quite clicking together…_

"_You lost your strength again!" cried Caroline as she remembered why it had to be her suddenly running around, letting her lethal Augustine instincts take over. "In the middle of that fight, you totally collapsed – what the hell happened there?"_

_Kol's good humour vanished, and his long fingers clenched around the steering wheel, his eyes as cold as ice as she found Caroline's stare in the mirror. "Nothing you need to trouble yourself with Darling," he said stonily. _

"_The hell it isn't!" Caroline shot back immediately. "You wanted to drag me along this little trip – which you still haven't really explained, by the way – and you just want me to ignore the fact that this was the second time you just…lost it? You're a freaking Original Vampire, you should've been able to take out the entire bar by yourself without breaking a sweat!" _

_Kol shut his eyes against the incessant rant, taking deep breaths as he looked up and met her expectant gaze. "I don't particularly enjoy dwelling on weaknesses," he said, trying to banish the thought of all the times he had been so fucking weak over the course of his long life, all of which had ended with a dagger to his heart, courtesy of his older brother, or, more recently, a white oak stake thanks to the Gilbert siblings. The wheel cracked just a little under his grip and Kol reminded himself not to completely let blind rage consume him. He wasn't Niklaus. He could keep his composure. _

"_Okay, look, I know it's probably really…personal? And I mean, I get that you don't want to talk about it, but don't you think you should at least let me in a little since I'm helping you? I don't even know what I'm helping you for! Can't you – I don't know – open up?"_

_Kol's grip didn't lessen nor did the cold look completely leave his eyes, but for a split second Caroline could make out humor on his face. _

"_Is this what my brother's done? He's come to you to talk about his feelings?" Caroline winced, ever so slightly, but ignored his comment and pressed on. _

"_I'm just saying, it wouldn't kill you to let me in on what the hell we're doing."_

_Kol took a deep breath and stared resolutely out the windshield. The bright sky was being darkened by heavy gray clouds, threatening a storm and he knew that they needed to work fast if they were going to find their destination. Caroline's expectations hung in the air, the small space of the car doing nothing to alleviate her palatable tension. _

"_I'll tell you soon, darling," said Kol, hoping his charm worked to stall her curiosity. "Let's just see where the day takes us first." _

_Caroline sat back in the leather seat, glad that she wasn't up next to him for once. It allowed her to curl in on herself and stare out at the forming storm, pondering, not for the first time, the rationality of her decision. It had been a snap decision. Completely spur of the moment. She barely knew Kol, besides being Klaus' little brother and the guy who broke Matt's hand and nearly killed Jeremy. He was unpredictable, psychotic, dangerous in a way his siblings never were. At least with Klaus or Rebekah, she knew what to expect. But Kol – Kol was a complete mystery to her. _

_She curled up tighter and leant against the window. For the first time on this little trip, she began to feel scared._

* * *

><p>"Oh my god, these are <em>incredible!<em>" Caroline barely held back a moan as she savoured the small sugar covered doughnut in her mouth, her eyes closed in bliss. She opened them to find Klaus regarding her with an amused grin, and she blushed a little at her overzealous reaction.

(Though it _was _delicious.)

"Enjoying yourself love?" asked Klaus with a knowing smirk, causing Caroline to roll her eyes. If nothing else, she was at least glad Klaus looked less tense than he had been when he left her at her apartment last night, after learning of her Augustine status. Truth be told, his easy manner when he called her up inviting her to breakfast was a little disconcerting, and she kept waiting for him to snap.

"Don't laugh at me!" said Caroline, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she popped another one of the doughnuts into her mouth. "Remind me what these are called?"

"Beignets, and if I had known you'd love them this much I would've simply laid a trail of them from Mystic Falls to here."

"Ha-ha," said Caroline drily, leaning back in her seat to observe the streets around them. The small café they sat outside was apparently a popular joint and she watched busy people on their way to work, wide-eyed tourists elbowing each other out of the way and tshe relaxed into the easy atmosphere. Most of the Quarter's vampires were inside, and she let herself take a deep breath, seeing for the first time why Klaus had left that voicemail for her once upon a time, promising art and food and culture.

Klaus eyed her carefully across the small table, glad that she was relaxing but still feeling a barrage of questions building up. "Tell me love – are you feeling better?" he asked cautiously.

Caroline sighed a little knowing that it was time for her to come back to reality. "I'm feeling better," she reassured him with a nod. "At least I won't have the urge to rip anyone apart for a while." She gave a nervous laugh, but couldn't help feeling uneasy at the memory of the vampire she had killed last night. Jay? No – Josh. His name was Josh and she didn't know a thing about him but he could've just been a young vampire trying to survive. He could've been just like _her. _

Klaus kept his lips pressed in a hard line, fighting the urge to snap at somebody. He wasn't angry at her – but he was angry. Angry that he couldn't have helped her, angry that she hadn't come to him. But it would do no good to start that argument now. Instead, he vowed to make good on his promise to help her. "I was wondering, love, if you wouldn't mind telling me _exactly _how this happened to you?"

Caroline fidgeted under his probing gaze, trying to decide how she could possibly condense the whole story. "It's a bit of a blur," she said, that much true at least. "We found out about this group at Whitmore. They – _experimented_ – on vampires, trying to see how they worked, what they were made of. One guy had Damon for five years back in the fifties."

Klaus raised his eyebrows at the mention of the older Salvatore but kept silent and Caroline went on.

"Anyway, they found out about me and Elena being vampires and they actually managed to grab Elena – but we saved her and we _thought _we were done with them. But obviously…" she trailed off gesturing towards herself with a wan smile. "I don't remember much of what happened when they had me. They kept me drugged on vervain, I barely knew what they were injecting me with. And then one day, somebody was pouring blood down my throat and the restraints were snapped and I just ran as fast as I could. They hadn't taken my ring, thank god, so I just bolted and went to –" She broke off suddenly, her hand gripping the edge of the table. The pain threatened to overwhelm her and she didn't want it, she didn't want _any _of it, She closed her eyes and fought it down, deciding that some things were meant to remain secret. At least for now.

"I – uh – I ran into Kol. And from there – well, you know."

Klaus watched her carefully through narrowed eyes. "No, I don't know, Caroline. You have no idea who saved you?"

Caroline shook her head, nervously twisting her daylight ring around on her finger. "Not a clue," she said quietly.

"And now you can only drink vampire blood? They managed to alter your entire physiology?"

Caroline took a deep breath rubbing her arms, suddenly feeling cold. "It's weird – I can still drink human blood and survive off it. But – look, it's like when you're really, _really _hungry, but there's no real food around so you eat something small like a mint or a cracker just to take away the hunger pains. And it works for a little while but then the cravings come back and it's ten times worse. That's what it's like being me."

His teeth grated together, but Klaus fought to keep himself in check, lest he rip apart the nearest human out of sheer frustration. "I'm sorry, Caroline," he managed to say, but she waved him off, clearly feigning her nonchalance for his sake.

"I'm – okay, I'm not _good, _but I suppose this past year could've been worse," she said gently, her finger twisting her ring again. "For what it's worth, Kol played a big part. I mean if he hadn't been around to pull me out and get me under control-"

"By repeatedly snapping your neck!" spat Klaus.

"I asked him to do what was necessary," said Caroline firmly. "And he did. He kept me from doing worse."

Klaus scoffed but kept his incensed opinions to himself. The way he saw it, his little brother had fashioned Caroline into his personal weapon, though why he should even need her was beyond him. Regardless, Kol had indulged and encouraged her bloodlust, despite the fact that it was clearly tearing her apart. "He was using you, Caroline," said Klaus darkly.

"_No he wasn't_," insisted Caroline. They stared each other down for a moment before the tension was broken by the loud scrape of metal against cement and they both looked up to see a grinning Kol dragging a chair over to their table and plopping down, nicking a beignet off the tray and popping it in his mouth.

"Morning brother! Miss Moneypenny," he said cheerfully, nodding at both of them.

"I'm not your secretary," Caroline muttered under her breath, but Kol simply grinned wider and stole another beignet.

"My ears were burning all the way down the street where I could just make out my temperamental brother ready to rip someone's heart out. Good to know you're feeling back in form Nik," he said, clapping his brother on the shoulder.

Klaus growled under his breath but Kol ignored him, turning to the blonde who was watching the brothers with a small smile. "Alright Sweets, time to play catch-up. Did you manage to find anything yesterday?"

Caroline nodded, "Before Marcel grabbed me-" she paused upon seeing their expressions darken a touch. "Before he grabbed me, I got into Carraway's office and found his organizer. Most of it was ordinary, but about two months ago, he had a symbol drawn down. It was one of the ones you showed me, here –" she grabbed her purse and rooted around in it untl she pulled out a pen, then grabbed a napkin off the beignet tray, quickly scribbling down the symbol she had seen yesterday, a backwards 'z' tilted to the right.

She slid the napkin over to Kol and the younger Mikaelson grinned, looking up at her, his eyes holding a familiar gleam of excitement. "Oh this – this is good. This is _fantastic."_

Caroline's smile mirrored his. After all that time tracking down leads and searching the country, it was the little leads like this that made it all worth it.

"Mind explaining this all of this to me," asked Klaus in irritation. He had recognized the rune on the napkin immediately, though admittedly it wasn't something that he had seen for centuries now. "_Eihwaz – _what could you possibly be doing that involves ancient runes?"

Kol smirked to himself, barely hearing his brother's question, simply piecing together a bigger picture. "I think it's time I see Mr. Carraway myself. Coming Sweets?"

Caroline nodded, but she couldn't help but feel a little wary after what had happened yesterday. Her nervousness did not go unnoticed by Klaus, who was quickly becoming tired of Kol's schemes. "I'm coming with you," he said sharply, leaving no room for question. He didn't know what Kol was up to, but he was going to be made privy to it, regardless of what he had to do to force himself into his brother's plans.

"Well then, let's be on our way, shall we?" asked Kol, standing up. Klaus joined him, a little surprised by how easily Kol gave in to that, and Caroline remained in her seat, shocked.

"Wait, seriously? Just like that? You're not going to be all secretive as usual?"

"Well, he was probably going to follow us anyway," said Kol, grinning as he took Caroline's hand and pulled her up from her seat, dragging her along to his car while his brother followed.

"Besides, you never know when you might need backup."

* * *

><p><em>Caroline drummed her fingers on her thigh, feeling restless. She had moved up to the front passenger seat again, and was side-eyeing Kol who was steadfastly ignoring her. The silence in the car was suffocating. The only sound was the sharp staccato of the rain as it hammered down, the storm having finally hit them in full force. As they drove down the highway, Caroline snuck a glance at the Original and wondered, not for the first time, if he had somehow managed to compel her into this. Granted, the amount of vervain in her system courtesy of the good doctor at Whitmore should have prevented that…but Kol could've drained her and compelled her, and how would she know? <em>

_She didn't want to believe that. Not just because she entertained the notion that Kol had some sort of moral code that prevented him from doing something like that, but because she had become so accustomed to being sure that she was in complete control of her decisions. And to be fair, she couldn't spot any gaps in her memory after she had escaped Whitmore, she could account for every single little moment – even the one moment she wanted to forget most of all. _

_(Maybe she could get Kol to compel that memory out of her eventually. But no – she deserved to live with the pain.)_

_Fighting the tears that were suddenly building up, Caroline looked to her hands and twisted her daylight ring around her finger. Suddenly her hands were engulfed by a larger one and long fingers pried her hands apart so that she wasn't obsessively toying with the little trinket anymore. She snapped her head up to see Kol still looking out the windshield, but his expression was grim._

"_You don't want to do that," he said evenly. "You're better off alive than dead." _

_Caroline's eyes widened at the resolve in his voice. _

_(Was this a thing with the Mikaelsons? Helping out slightly-suicidal vampires after traumatic events?)_

"_Uh…thank you," she said carefully, for lack of a better phrase. "I didn't think you'd care – I mean I guess I appreciate it." _

_Kol's lips twisted up into a small smirk and he finally turned to look at her. "Believe me, it's not that I'm a huge believer in the sanctity of life," he said. "But you see, between the two of us, I've actually been to the Other Side, and let me assure you darling, it's not pleasant."_

_Caroline shivered at his mention of the plane where all dead supernatural beings resided. From what she had gathered in her limited experience with ghosts, it was a lonely, lonely place, where all you could do was watch the world, unable to be heard or seen by anyone you loved. It sounded like it could drive a person mad. _

"_Are you ever going to tell me how you came back?" she asked quietly, now staring out the windshield herself. They were slowly creeping up on civilization, scattered farmhouses signaled the small town up ahead._

"_To tell you the truth darling, I'm a bit hesitant to see what you'll do with the truth." _

"_Seriously? What's that supposed to mean?" asked Caroline, suddenly angry. _

_Kol chuckled at her ire. "Relax, Caroline. The truth can be a burden – just trust me." _

_Caroline opened her mouth to retort, but Kol swerved the car violently and Caroline realized that he had turned them into the town they had been approaching, the car winding slowly through the streets of a suburb. The rain was relentless and there wasn't a soul to be seen anywhere. After a few moments, Kol brought the car to a halt outside a small house, looking every bit the normal American household as she could've imagined. It was small, with flowered curtains at the windows and a white picket fence, the sort of house that wouldn't have been out of place in Mystic Falls at all. _

"_You have friends here?" asked Caroline, confused. _

"_In a matter of speaking," said Kol before hopping out of the car and zipping to the covered porch, Caroline joining him a moment later. He strode over to one of the square windows besides the front door and peered in. "Fuck. Looks like we're on our own here." _

_Caroline took a peek in the window herself, seeing the front hallway of the house dark to even her superior sight. She concentrated, and listened, hearing not a single sign of life anywhere in the house. She could just make out the spot in front of the door and saw a pile of unopened mail that had been pushed through the slot and left, piling up over at least a couple of days. "It's been abandoned," she realized._

_Kol nodded. "Well, can't let a little thing like that stop us can we?" With a smirk, he grabbed the doorknob and forced the door open as if it were made of paper. _

"_Kol! Are you nuts?! People might see you!" Caroline shot furtive glances around the street, looking for a nosy neighbor wondering why two teenagers were breaking and entering in the middle of a thunderstorm. _

"_They won't notice a thing," said Kol tersely, running his fingers over the doorframe. Etched into the wood was a small symbol, like a backwards 'z'. _

"_What's that mean?" she asked, as Kol stepped over the threshold and into the darkened house. _

"_It's a rune. Haven't been used in a few centuries though I suspect we're going to see that a lot. I'll teach you about them one of these days."_

_Caroline left the doorframe behind as she followed Kol into the house, shivering a little at the massive creepy factor and Kol's sudden bout of anger. A crack of lightening cast a bright light through the living room windows and she fought the urge to jump. _

"_Goddammit!" Kol swore, slamming his hand against the wall, plaster crumbling under the dent he left. _

"_What the hell?!" asked Caroline, stunned by his violent mood swing. _

"_I needed to get information from the person who lived here," Kol explained darkly. "Only now they've gone and thrown a little wrench into my plans, and I'm more than a little irritated." He growled and kicked the coffee table in the living room, sending it flying into the wall, a lamp toppling over and another clap of lightening casting a bright light over his enraged features. _

"_Okay, stop, just stop!" cried Caroline before he destroyed the entire house. "You're acting like a lunatic, just tell me what the fuck is going on!"_

_Kol snarled and rushed forward and before Caroline knew what had happened Kol had her pinned against the wall by her throat, his fangs bared. Thankfully, she had some strength to sto p him from suffocating her completely and she managed to wrap her hands around his wrist, pulling it back just a fraction of an inch, enough for her to speak. _

"_Kol, I swear to God if you don't tell me what the hell is going on I will run and never look back!" She managed to choke out her words, but they had little effect. _

"_Oh you will, will you?" snarled Kol. "Tell me darling – how far do you think you'll make it before your own self-loathing costs you your life?" _

_Caroline stared him down resolutely, determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear. But damn it all if she wasn't terrified. This was Kol – and he wouldn't hesitate to kill if she didn't give him a good reason to calm down. _

"_You helped me," Caroline said slowly. "You helped me when I was going to do the worst and now I'm going to help you. But I can't help you if I don't know what's going on." _

_Kol cocked his head to the side, assessing her carefully. Slowly, he lessened his grip and Caroline slumped against the wall, straightening herself up. Neither said anything for a moment, another flash of lightening illuminating the room. _

"_I suppose you're right," Kol said suddenly. He took a sharp breath and came to a decision. "Alright darling. Guess you've earned your answers."_

* * *

><p>The ride up to Jack Carraway's office was a lot tenser than it had been the day before. Caroline stood between Kol and Klaus, watching the city get smaller around them as the car climbed higher and higher. "New Orleans is beautiful," she said quietly and turned to see a satisfied smile on Klaus' face.<p>

"It is my kingdom after all," he said and she rolled her eyes, smiling a little.

"You have no idea what he had to go through to get that _kingdom, _Sweets," said Kol from behind them and she looked around to find him watching his brother with a smirk. "I was there for everything – honestly brother, why you didn't just kill Marcel the first chance you got was beyond me."

"My methods are hardly any of your concern, _brother, _considering you were firmly on the Other Side – care to share how that was reversed, by the way?"

"Hmm…nope!" said Kol, popping the 'p' to further irritate his brother and Caroline quickly stepped between them before any hearts got ripped out.

"Play nice boys," she said warningly, her sentence punctuated by the loud '_ding'_ of the elevator. "We've got things to do, remember?" she said, mostly towards Kol. He grinned in return and strode out of the elevator suddenly stopping dead in his tracks.

"What in hell is this?!" he snarled out. Caroline and Klaus stepped out to join him, the latter wondering what the reaction was about while the former whipped her head around the office stunned.

"Where – where is everything?!" asked Caroline walking through the now empty space. The entire upscale office had been completely stripped bare, the desks were gone, the walls were bare, even the lighting fixtures had been taken out. Bright sunlight streamed in through the floor to ceiling windows, illuminating how empty the reception area was. Caroline zipped over to the large mahogany doors leading towards the inner office but, as expected, there was nothing to be seen. The shelves of books, the Monet reprint, it was all gone.

"He ran," said Kol grimly, coming into the office, examining the barren space. "Goddammit, how do they always know we're coming?! He never even met you yesterday!"

Kol paced like a wild caged animal while Caroline ran her hand through her hair, looking around the stripped office space and eventually meeting Klaus' gaze. He stood at the office's entrance, looking between his enraged brother and her, and he took a few steps inside, his hands clasped behind his back.

"Would anyone mind telling me what's going on?" he asked, eyebrow raised.

"We were – we needed to find – she looked between him and Kol, wondering how much she could reveal without spilling all of the story. Kol was too frustrated to even look towards them, so Caroline sighed and took a step towards Klaus.

"Look, it's really complicated, but the guy who had an office here – who I was looking for yesterday – we needed to find him. We needed to-"

"It's a long story, Nik," interrupted Kol who had ceased his pacing, and now came over to stand next to Caroline. "We don't have time for that right now – I have to get back, take another look at the list." He pushed past Klaus to leave but his brother caught his arm, forcing him in place.

"Tell me who this man is, Kol!" Klaus demanded harshly. "Why is he running, why do you need to find him?! And what's this about a _list?!"_

Kol looked towards Caroline who, for once, shared Klaus' confusion. "You were ready to tear things apart a second ago," she pointed out, "what are you doing now?"

"We don't have any time to waste, Sweets," said Kol, his anger fading away into eagerness. "Don't you see? This," he gestured around the bare offices, "is a sign of desperation. They're panicking. Which means we're getting _closer." _

Caroline's eyes widened and Klaus turned to her questioningly. Kol managed to shake off his brother, but before he zipped off he gave Caroline a meaningful look between her and Klaus and then winked. The message was clear- _'Calm him down, would you?" _

Kol made his escape and then it was just Klaus and Caroline left in the room, with nothing to do but stare at the bare bones of the office and each other.

"This can't go on, Caroline," Klaus said quietly, but his rage was obvious. "I can't let him run around my city like this."

Caroline gulped knowing Klaus' predilection for violence when it came to his siblings. "Look, let's just…let's just go back to my apartment? We can talk about stuff there."

After a moment, Klaus nodded in agreement, and together, the two left, making their way back to the Quarter.

* * *

><p>"<em>This house belongs – or at least it did – to a witch." Kol and Caroline wandered through the small house, which to Caroline's eyes was perfectly ordinary. There weren't even any herbs in the kitchen cupboard, or grimoires in the bedroom closet, so Caroline wondered just how Kol was so sure a witch lived here. <em>

"_Are you sure about the witch part?" she asked skeptically as she came downstairs from searching the bedrooms for any sign of where the owners had gone. Kol was back in the living room, pacing the wooden floor. _

"_There was definitely a witch living here. I know it – I know witches quite well," he said with a smirk, leaving no guesses as to how _well_ he knew witches. "She was an acquaintance of mine."_

"_You had acquaintances?" asked Caroline before she could help herself. _

_Kol looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. "I know my brother kept me in a box for the last century, but I didn't spend all my time in that town of yours once I awoke." _

_Caroline had to give him that, Kol was gone more than he was around. It was weird to think of him running around making friends with witches though, but she supposed weirder things were possible. "So…this witch-acquaintance of yours is missing?" _

"_Missing…or she fled for some reason. I need to find her secret room."_

"_Secret room? Seriously?"_

"_She's a witch darling, there's always a secret room." He stopped suddenly, staring at the wooden floorboards and the small rug that had been underneath the coffee table before Kol had kicked it away. In a flash, he had ripped the rug away to reveal a small brass ring in the floor – it was a trapdoor. Kol yanked it up and Caroline walked over to see a small staircase leading into a basement. _

"_Ladies first?" asked Kol, gesturing her forward. Caroline hung back though, shaking her head vehemently. _

"_No way, you're an Original, you can go first," she said adamantly. _

_Chuckling at her expense, Kol started down the staircase, Caroline close on his heels. Once at the bottom he felt for a switch on the wall and found it, flicking on a small ceiling lamp which illuminated just the place he had been looking for. It was a cramped basement, all sorts of witchy odds and ends strewn around, candles, feathers, and herbs. Grimoires were piled up on a shelf, and they both stepped in further, trying to make sense of the mess. _

"_Whoa," said Caroline quietly, as Kol rifled through the parchements. _

"_I was brought back by witches," said Kol suddenly and Caroline realized with some shock that he was actually giving her some answers. "This coven…they brought me back. It took an incredible amount of magic. More than should've been used."_

"_Bonnie brought back Jeremy using magic," said Caroline, remembering the steep price of resurrection. _

"_Hmm. The prat kills me and he gets to come back to life. Where's the justice in that?" Kol asked drily but Caroline was not impressed._

_ "You're back too…"_

"_But not properly. Where your dear friend Bonnie was more than willing to die for her dear love, none of the witches were that attached to me. My new life…there are some drawbacks. My strength fails, sometimes, when the spell weakens."_

"_Like the times when you collapsed during those fights," said Caroline softly, finally understanding. "But, it's okay, right? I mean, most of the time you're just as strong as you were."_

_Kol closed his eyes briefly, turning away and picking up a grimoire from the shelf, flipping through it idly. "It's going to get worse. That's what they told me. You see – they tried to put me on a little deadline."_

"_They brought you back to do something for them…" said Caroline as she put the pieces together. "They needed you to do something they couldn't - and that's why they left you weak? So that you'd have to do what they wanted if you wanted to be resurrected permanently?"_

"_Oh, very good darling! I can see why my brother likes you, you're much more than a pretty face!" said Kol, genuinely impressed. _

"_Kol…" Caroline admonished quietly. Kol sighed and went on. _

"_That was the gist of it, yes. But I wasn't about to be beholden to blackmail to some upstart witches who have no idea what they're doing. But I suspect there is a way I could come back without their help – I would just need a really, really powerful witch. Don't suppose you know any?" _

_Caroline shrugged helplessly. "Bonnie's all out of her powers. And most of the other witches I've met don't like me very much. But then – are you going to die again?" _

"_Eventually, but I've got things to do before then. And that's when you come in – you see why you're so useful?" _

_Caroline nodded, moving around the small lair, kicking some candles around on the ground. "I get it – I'm your backup. But you still haven't told me why you were brought back! What was so important that a bunch of witches would resurrect you for?" _

_Kol didn't answer, but stood up straighter suddenly, a broad smile on his face. From between the pages of the grimoires, he pulled out a folded map, and unfurled it. Caroline went over to stand next to him, noting the small red crosses all over the United States. _

"_This is where she was planning on going? Are we going to track her down now?" _

"_No, I don't think this was where she was going – I think this is where the rest of them are."_

"_The rest of them?" _

_Kol folded the map back up and looked at Caroline. "That coven that brought me back – they were just a fraction of the larger story. There are more, Caroline, loads more. They all have one mission, and you and I are going to stop them. It looks like my old friend was a part of them, and I had hoped I could ask her a few questions without any suspicions of deceit, but it looks like that's not going to be possible. So, we track down the rest." _

_With an excited grin, Kol grabbed her hand and started pulling her back up the staircase, and towards the house's front door. He threw open the door, the rain still pattering down and the two vampires dashed for the car, jumping in before they could get soaked. _

"_Okay, let's just take a moment, before we do anything," said Caroline quickly but Kol was revving the engine, ready to tear down the road. "You never answered my question – why did they bring you back?" _

_Kol looked over at her and she was shocked to see the excitement from a moment ago had given way to something close to pity. "I'll tell you soon Caroline – but here's the thing: you're going to hate it. You're really, really going to hate it." _

_Caroline didn't have any time to think about what Kol meant by that, before he floored the accelerator and they were on their way. The small town was left behind quickly, but Caroline found herself anticipating the next one, waiting for the next development. She had no idea what Kol was dragging her into – but there was small part of her that liked it._

* * *

><p>"I don't suppose you want a drink?" asked Caroline as she laid her purse on a chair and walked over to the liquor cabinet, pulling out a bottle of scotch that Kol had been kind enough to leave behind when he had lived here.<p>

"I want answers," said Klaus resolutely, taking a seat on the sofa.

"Better have the drink anyway," said Caroline under her breath as she poured a generous amount in two glasses and went over to hand one to him.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" asked Klaus darkly, taking a swig of the scotch.

Caroline took a deep breath and Klaus sensed he was about to be disappointed. "Caroline, I don't know what my brother's forcing you into-"

"Stop that, okay? He's not forcing me into _anything._" Caroline hoped he believed her but he still looked suspicious as always. She sighed and tried to think of the words that would convince him.

"I promised him I'd keep things under wraps until he thought it was safe to tell you. Please understand that."

Klaus didn't understand, he didn't want to understand because it meant his thoughts going in a very unpleasant direction when he thought about just what in hell Kol and Caroline had been doing for a year together. His brother made no secret of his womanizing ways, and while he wanted to think Caroline would never give in to his advances, the fact was Kol had helped her when she was vulnerable. It would have been easy for his brother to extend his comfort just enough to get what he wanted…

"Are you so willing to show him loyalty?" he asked darkly.

"Yeah. I am." Caroline barely hesitated with her answer and Klaus wondered if that was proof enough. Caroline frowned as she watched his mood take a turn for the worse and she tried to assuage his temper.

"Look, if you're worried about Kol and me being like…well, being like _you _and me, that's not an issue. I mean, come on," she said with a grin, "do I look like a Petrova doppelganger to you?"

Klaus couldn't help the smile that lifted his lips and Caroline took a small breath of relief. "You don't have to be jealous of Kol, I mean, the entire time he and I were working together, he kept bringing up – and I kept remembering- " she broke off, blushing slightly, not sure how to finish that sentence.

(How exactly does one say,_ 'I remember you tearing my clothes off in the middle of the woods before we had sex for hours?'_ Didn't exactly roll off the tongue.)

"Anyway," she said, gulping the down the sudden lump in her throat at how dark Klaus' eyes had gotten as his gaze roved over her shamelessly. "The point is, it's Kol's call."

"The thing I don't understand, sweetheart, is why you would ever agree to help my crazy brother in the first place?"

Caroline sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Look, I know it doesn't make much sense. But here's the thing – after what happened with the Augustine Society I was ready to just – it was bad." She idly twisted her daylight ring on her finger, and Klaus looked at the little hand movement, with a frown on his face. "When your brother found me, he gave me something to _do. _ I had a_ purpose. _And you know what? I think that's what kept me going. Otherwise, I would've just been the world's freakiest cannibal vampire, and to tell you the truth I probably wouldn't have made it."

Klaus remained silent after her little speech. "That's quite the testimonial, love," he said quietly and Caroline smiled softly to herself.

"It's all true." She was surprised when Klaus stood suddenly, setting his drink down and flashing her his most charming smile. It was meant to put her at ease, but it didn't work, she knew him too well. This was him trying to keep her calm while he went off to do whatever hell it was Klaus did when he was angry and suspicious, and unfortunately, there was a long list of possibilities, none of them pleasant.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"I think I'll make my way home – I have something I needed to talk to Elijah about, just some kingdom business." He walked over to stand in front of her and smiled, quickly leaning in and pecking her on the cheek. "It was lovely spending time with you, however it went." With those words, he turned and left, leaving a stunned Caroline standing in the middle of her living room, lifting her hand to touch the spot on her cheek where he had kissed her. She hadn't realized how much she could be affected by such an innocent little kiss, but her skin burned, and she actually felt her legs shake just a tad.

(Oh _God. _She had really, _really _missed him.)

While Caroline was left shaken, Klaus flashed through the French Quarter with purpose, knowing how to avoid human eyes, right until he reached his mansion. Kol was back, pattering around the wing he had taken, Rebekah and Elijah were both off somewhere. Klaus let himself dwell on the feeling of Caroline's soft skin, his spirits rising significantly at the memory of the beautiful blonde. One way or another, he'd help her, and once he had, he would show her the life she could lead at his side, Queen of his kingdom.

With those thoughts, he had a spring in his step as he bounded up the grand staircase up towards his study. He hummed idly as he sought out a well hidden safe and he smiled to himself as he pulled out a familiar silver dagger.

'_Sorry Kol, but enough is enough. Time to go back in a box.'_

* * *

><p>Later that night, a small group of vampires assembled in Lafayette cemetery. They watched in silence as a coffin was lowered into the ground, the only sound being the soft sobs of the young witch in their midst. Davina stood close to Marcel, the older vampire had his arm wrapped around her shoulders, rubbing them soothingly.<p>

"Josh was a good man," he said to the assembled. "He was a loyal and true friend. We won't forget him." His words were short but to the point and after a few more moments of mourning, the vampires dispersed. Davina and Marcel stayed behind, the young girl brushing away the tears on her cheeks.

"He was going to go to Tulane," she said quietly. "He didn't deserve this. This is all because of that evil blonde _bitch." _She pushed away from Marcel and turned to look at him. "I _hate _her Marcel, her and that brother of Klaus. He won't even punish them for this!"

"I know, I know," said Marcel soothingly, holding Davina by the shoulders. "Listen, don't worry, okay? One way or another, we're going to get revenge."

_Tell me what you want to hear  
>Something that will light those ears<br>Sick of all the insincere  
>So I'm gonna give all my secrets away<em>

* * *

><p><strong>And that's a wrap! This fic is just one giant masterclass in "How can two people do a thing without saying out loud what that thing is?" But never fear, the second half of Kol's story is coming soon. Please do leave a review, let me know what you think, or what you predict will happen next! <strong>

**Chapter**** title and song lyrics are from 'Secrets' by OneRepublic**

**Until next time!**


	4. Runs in the Family

**Author's Note: This chapter has been a long time coming, mostly because I kept underestimating how easy it would be to write the interactions between all the different members of the Originals family, and I'll let you be the judge of how it turned out. Thank you so, so much to all of you who have been reading and alerting and reviewing, I so appreciate every little piece of feedback, and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!**

**Disclaimer: Of course it's not mine.**

* * *

><p><em>If wellness is this, what in hell's name is sickness?<br>But business is business!  
>And business<br>Runs in the family, we tend to bruise easily  
>Bad in the blood, I'm telling you 'cause<br>I just want you to know me  
>Know me and my family<br>We're wonderful folks but  
>Don't get too close to me<em>

_**IN A MOTEL, FRANKLIN, KENTUCKY  
>MARCH, 2014<strong>_

"_Alright darling, don't make a sound, understand?" The young girl nodded, her eyes glazed over in compulsion as Kol smirked. Dipping his head down, he sank his fangs into her neck and drank his fill, feeling an instant rush of strength, reveling in the feeling. His unfortunate victim remained completely silent, her strength fading ever so slowly, and Kol relished in the natural high of fresh blood. _

"_What the hell?!" _

_There was a flash of blonde and Kol found himself being pulled away from his meal and Caroline standing between them. She eyed him with a frown and took a deep shuddering breath, getting control of herself before biting into her wrist, and turning to force it down the girl's throat. _

"_You're going to go back to your room, and sleep this off. You're not going to remember anything." Again the girl nodded and Caroline was left to turn on Kol with a slight growl. "Seriously?! You had to feed on some poor innocent girl right out in the hallway where anyone could see you?" With a scoff, he moved to shove past him so that she could get to their room, but was stopped by a hand wrapped around her wrist, the grip as tight as iron._

_Kol stared her down, his eyes cool and impassive. There wasn't a hint of a rage, but he simply smiled down at her darkly. "You can't save everyone, darling," he said lowly, and Caroline stiffened for a moment, before wrenching her arm away and storming past him into the motel room, Kol following, completely nonplussed by her anger. _

"_Christ, you could probably use a good meal yourself," he said smugly, noticing how she was taking deep breaths and clenching her fists, the scent of the fresh blood still on his face clearly affecting her. _

"_I'm fine," she said through gritted teeth, taking a seat on her bed and reaching for the bag of jellybeans she had left on the nightstand. She took a handful and crammed them into her mouth, Kol watching her with amusement. _

"_So now you're sublimating the bloodlust with sugar? What do they teach you in Mystic Falls?" _

"_I like it, okay?" said Caroline with a huff, turning away from him and reaching for the remote for the small TV, turning it on and studiously ignoring the Original who was still laughing at her as he went into the bathroom to clean himself up. It was difficult; getting used to the fact that she was on this weird trip with Kol Mikaelson of all people – his feeding habits were the least of her problems. She managed to do damage control when she could, but she wasn't an idiot, she knew he was probably leaving drained bodies all over the place. It didn't help that the next location on their map had turned up another empty house, more people running before they could even get there. And Kol was still withholding the truth from her – needless to say, her doubts about this little mission were getting stronger. _

_She worked her way through the bag of jellybeans while half-paying attention to the James Bond marathon on TV, trying not to dwell on the drastic turn her life had taken. She barely registered Kol stepping out of the bathroom and flopping down on the other bed. _

"_What tripe are you watching?" _

_She turned to him, glad that the blood was gone. She had managed to get a stash of blood bags from a hospital and it kept her going, but she didn't need to deal with cravings, because that would end up triggering the Augustine conditioning and she'd end up tearing through the town they were in until she managed to find a vampire to sate her thirst. "It's James Bond. You know, Double-O seven, British spy, has a license to kill, fast cars, lots of girls? Thought you'd love him."_

"_In the time between getting out of the box my brother kindly stuffed me in and then dealing with your homicidal friends, I never did get much time to play catch up on popular culture. Though I did like the music…" _

_Caroline laughed a little, "Well, it's the middle of the night, there's nothing else on, so you might as well give it a shot," she said, settling back against the headboard of her bed while the opening theme to 'Goldfinger' began to play. _

_Kol rolled his eyes and mimicked her position. "Fine. Can't see what'll come of it though." _

_(SEVEN HOURS LATER)_

_Caroline turned over in bed, cracking an eye open to note that light was streaming in through the window, her bag of jellybeans lying next to her head. She had fallen asleep partway through a movie last night and she looked over, expecting to see Kol asleep too – except he wasn't. The Orignal was perched on the edge of his bed, staring intently at the screen which was still running its marathon, the vampire enthusiastically yelling out commentary as gunfire went off and tires screeched. _

"_Take the shot, you idiot!" _

_Caroline sat up, rubbing her eyes, not fully understanding just what she was seeing. Kol turned around to see her awake, grinning widely. _

"_You're missing the best part! When did you fall asleep?" _

"_Uh…"_

_He didn't care about her answer because he simply turned back to the screen, giving a whoop when a car swerved and another shot was fired. Stunned, Caroline sat there for a moment before figuring she should at least get ready and it was a while before she could convince Kol to do the same. Later, they sat in the car, on their way to their next destination in Illinois, Kol humming the distinctive James Bond theme, tapping his fingers on the wheel. _

"_So…I guess you're a fan?" asked Caroline, torn being amused or weirded out. Technically, being a thousand years old didn't mean you couldn't hold fictional spies as your heroes…it was just strange to see it. _

"_Of course! Think about how much we have in common! Handsome, charming, incredibly good with women…"_

"_Of course you are," said Caroline, rolling her eyes and popping another jellybean in her mouth. "So, how long until Illinois?"_

"_About five hours, Moneypenny."_

_Caroline snapped her head up. "Did you just call me 'Moneypenny'?" she asked him, bewildered. "Why the hell am I 'Moneypenny'?"_

"_I think it fits. She always knows what's going on, she's smart, loyal, dedicated."_

_Caroline was slightly taken aback by his words. "Oh…wow. Thanks, Kol. That's actually kind of sweet."_

"_Plus there was always the constant undercurrent of sexual tension with Bond-"_

"_And we're back," Caroline muttered to herself, rolling her eyes as she pulled out the witches map from her bag and inspected their route. Kol grinned and pushed the car faster, while Caroline grimaced and held on to the ceiling handle._

_At least she was getting used to his driving._

* * *

><p>Klaus stood at the window of the study, glass of bourbon clutched tightly in his hand. He took a long swig as he contemplated exactly how he was going to go about his new goal, wondering exactly what the fallout would be. A familiar silver dagger rested on the desk, glinting in the midday sun, freshly dipped in White Oak ash. Kol was gone at the moment, doing only God knows what out in the city, but he knew that with Kol staying in the mansion he had more than enough opportunity to find his brother and end whatever nonsense he had cooked up. He held off for the moment though, thinking through his plan carefully. For once, he thought of the consequences of putting one of his siblings into a coffin.<p>

Despite the fact that there would be some grief from Elijah, and probably Rebekah, depending on her mood, there was the added factor of Caroline to think about. She had said, repeatedly, that she didn't want him to hurt Kol. But then, he reasoned, she had spent far too long solely in the company of his impetuous and thoughtless brother, she needed to see the truth, and that was that Kol was being a nuisance he was in no mood to tolerate.

"Isn't it just a bit too early for hard liquor?"

Klaus rolled his eyes at the condescension in his big brother's voice, far too used to Elijah trying to rein in every single one of his vices, though alcohol was fairly innocuous in the face of the true horrors the hybrid could inflict. He remained facing the window, hearing Elijah walk in, and the two brothers stayed in silence for a few moments.

"You've been too quiet for too long, Niklaus," Elijah commented after a while.

Klaus scoffed a little, "I would think you'd relish in the chance to get me to keep quiet. Aren't you always complaining about my temper?"

"Your temper I can handle well enough, but I know what happens when you become like _this. _You're going to do something remarkably violent and you're simply storing your anger until it happens."

Klaus turned to see his brother standing across from him, scrutinizing him carefully. "How very perceptive of you," Klaus spat, marching over to the decanter of bourbon on the desk and refilling his glass. "Perhaps instead of wasting your observation skills on me, you might try and figure out what our baby brother is trying so hard to keep from us? Start with how he came back to life and work it out from there. That is of course, if you even give a damn."

Elijah remained stoic at Klaus' caustic words, though his brow furrowed slightly. "Don't presume that I'm not as concerned about Kol's antics as you are, Niklaus," he said sternly. "But it's only been a few days, and frankly, your reaction to all of this is more concerning."

Klaus just drank his fill of liquor, eyeing his brother disdainfully. Elijah's attempts at moralizing were grating, and a bloody waste of time. He had more important things to be worrying about. "Get to the point, brother."

"I'm not going to stand by while you deal with the situation by doing something stupid and impulsive."

"Au contraire, I've been thinking about this one for a while."

Elijah's frown deepened at his brother's choice of words, not understanding the meaning behind them. He glanced away, and finally noticed the item lying on the desk, stiffening as the pieces of Klaus' plans all fell into place. "You're going to dagger Kol?!" he said, his calm façade slipping ever so slightly. "After he just came back into our lives?"

Klaus slammed the glass tumbler down, ignoring the cracks in the fine crystal. "He came back into our lives to cause chaos, Elijah!" Klaus snarled. The alcohol had already gone to his head but Elijah had a thousand years of dealing with his brother's rages to know how to handle them.

"We don't know –"

"And that's just it, isn't it? _We don't know_ because he insists on being a prat and keeping his mouth shut!"

Elijah sighed and raised a hand to placate his brother. "I agree, Kol's reticence is aggravating, but surely there's a reason for it?"

"There is no _reason _besides his own amusement," said Klaus darkly, picking the dagger up and staring at the blade, imagining the silver sinking into his brother's chest. "He enjoys this – lording his secrets over us, watching us panic, trying to figure him out while he swans around _my _city, doing whatever the bloody hell he pleases!"

"Klaus, I agree that Kol is being…well, _Kol_ – but don't you think we should also be concentrating some of our scrutiny on Caroline Forbes?"

Klaus set the dagger down on the desk and sent his brother a cold stare. "Leave Caroline out of this."

"_Why?_" questioned Elijah immediately, coming forward to stand in front of his brother. "Who is this girl Niklaus? Why is she untouchable? She had been working with Kol, she obviously knows what is going on, why aren't you pressing her for further answers?"

"Leave. Her. Alone." Klaus said the words through gritted teeth, but Elijah was not so easily dissuaded, sensing that there was something deeper happening with the young blonde vampire that his younger brother was keeping from him.

"What happened to her, Klaus? That night in the cemetery, she ripped through a dozen vampires. Then that vampire who served Marcel – the one Davina was close to – he was killed too. Was it Caroline? Was she responsible for that?"

Klaus remained silent and that was all the confirmation Elijah needed from his brother. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Niklaus, if the girl is recklessly killing in _your _kingdom, don't you think action needs to be taken?"

"She stays alive!" yelled Klaus immediately, rounding on Elijah and ready to prove his point through any violence necessary.

"How can you let her remain here!" asked Elijah incredulously. "How can you let a threat to this city remain –" Elijah stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in realization. A memory sprang to his mind, a day many years ago when they had to contend with a young upstart hybrid with a grudge against Klaus for a very specific reason…

"The girl you went after in Mystic Falls…it was _her?_"

Klaus stiffened, his lips pressing into a thin line. Again, his silence told Elijah all he needed to know.

"So that's what this is. You have feelings for the girl." Elijah almost looked amused by the fact that his cold-hearted brother was showing such tolerance towards one baby vampire. Klaus clenched and unclenched his fists , his agitation apparent, torn between his natural urge to fight his way out of any situation involving him facing the truth of his emotions.

"Regardless, of what I feel, leave yourself out of the situation, Elijah," ordered Klaus. The last thing he wanted now was _another _brother meddling in his affairs with Caroline, and Elijah had an unfortunate history of sticking his nose where it didn't belong.

"Then explain the situation to me, Klaus," said Elijah tersely. "The girl is what? Twenty years old at most? How long has she been a vampire? Elena Gilbert once told me she had known some of her friends for her entire life, Caroline Forbes can't have been turned more than a few years ago. How does a baby vampire cause this much carnage? Even with Kol teaching her his tricks –"

"She didn't need Kol to teach her – she's been through an ordeal," explained Klaus, not willing to go into specifics. "It's complicated, brother, leave it alone."

"No!" said Elijah, raising his voice, his temper rising, aggravation at the whole situation becoming too much to contain. "You need to question her, thoroughly. She knows what Kol is up to. She has the answers."

"And I will have them," said Klaus evenly, tapping the edge of the dagger on the desk. "Kol is volatile; he's a ticking time bomb. Once I've put him down, I can help Caroline, coax the answers from her and all will be peaceful again."

His plan was clean and simple. Kol was dangerous, unpredictable, and he needed to get Caroline far away from his influence. It was obvious that in her vulnerable state, the young blonde had accepted Kol's help, regardless of how twisted his brother's motives no doubt were. But he could make her see the truth – Kol had _used _her. It was up to him to get her out from under his brother's thumb.

Elijah now regarded his brother warily, sensing that Klaus had completely talked himself into whatever plan he had in his head. "And Caroline…you think she won't object to Kol being daggered, if you go through with it?"

"Caroline will see I'm trying to help her," said Klaus with complete conviction.

Elijah faltered then, his eyes darting towards the silver dagger. Klaus saw his older brother's hesitation and latched onto it immediately, knowing he could persuade Elijah to see the sense in his path.

"Kol is reckless and unpredictable, and the only way we're going to get answers is if he's neatly tucked away. You know I'm right brother."

Elijah's jaw tightened as he considered Klaus' proposal, but the heavy silence was interrupted by a sharp voice.

"He's right, Elijah." Both brothers turned to see Rebekah stride in and join them, taking her place by Elijah's side. "God knows what Kol's doing, but he's being a prick about it. We need to find answers, and if he's not willing to divulge them then he's only going to stand in our way."

Elijah sighed, "Rebekah, you're angry at him but consider that –"

"Yes I'm bloody well angry at him!" cried Rebekah, looking between her older brothers. "He _came back to life. _He was resurrected for god knows how long and he didn't say a thing! Instead, he breezes into this city with Caroline-fucking-Forbes and is happily running around like he owns the place, so, yes, I'm _furious!"_ She ended her rant, breathing heavily, her anger matched by Klaus' smug smile.

"See? Rebekah understands."

"Don't start Nik," she said, rounding on him. "Because it's not just Kol and you know it. Caroline can give us all the answers but you're too busy holding her hand to see that she needs to be held accountable for what she's done."

"The situation with Caroline is complicated, sister," said Klaus, his smirk dropping into an ice-cold stare. "She needs my help, which I will be giving once I've put Kol down. "_Stay away from her. _Understand?" His question was a deadly whisper, and Rebekah matched his glare before the sound of a throat clearing interrupted the tension.

Marcel stood at the doorway to the study, looking between all three siblings. He stepped in slowly, looking between the Originals and the dagger in Klaus' hand. "So, you're finally doing something about that psycho brother of yours?"

Klaus glanced at Elijah, knowing that his hesitance could compromise what he had planned, but after a moment, Elijah gave a terse nod and flashed out of the room, Rebekah following him after one last glare at Klaus.

"Well, glad you finally came to your senses," said Marcel evenly as he walked closer to Klaus.

Klaus smirked and poured himself another drink, twirling the dagger in his hands. "Don't ever question my methods, Marcellus. I _always _know what I'm doing."

* * *

><p>Kol whistled to himself idly as he sauntered back into his family's mansion, making a beeline for his room. The witches of the French Quarter were always such a peculiar bunch, but a lot had changed for them over the centuries. He sighed wistfully, remembering the days when they were properly feared, instead of being relegated to the sidelines, watching the power plays between vampires. Well, at least subjugated witches were more easily bent to his bidding – if he could only find one willing to cooperate with him before he was forced to take more drastic measures.<p>

As he stepped off the top floor of the grand staircase, he found himself blocked suddenly, by none other than his baby sister, who looked ready to rip his head off. So, more or less the way she always looked at him.

(To think, there was time not so long ago when he found he missed the acidity of his sister's glare. But then, that was when he thought she'd never glare at him again. Not that he would ever admit to such sentiment.)

"Bekah! And how are you today?" he asked cheerfully while sidestepping her and continuing to his room. His sister did not disappoint, the sharp tapping of her heels following him down the long hallway, and he could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she thought of a barb to throw at him. She remained silent though, and so Kol ignored her as he walked into the spacious bedroom he had taken over and went to the assortment of papers he had scattered on the desk. A map, a list, multiple pieces of paper covered in old runes all lay there, nothing making sense – well except to him.

Rebekah stood at the doorway to his room, still not saying a word and Kol felt her presence begin to grate. "Any particular reason you're spying on me," he called out and heard her approach him slowly. He spun on his heel and leant against the desk, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow, waiting for her to make her move with a smirk. She looked almost uncomfortable, like there was something she wanted to tell him, but couldn't quite form the words.

"Come on sister, spit it out. I've got things to do, you know?"

"What things?" Rebekah asked, craning her neck to look at the papers on the table. Kol was reasonably sure that none of it would make sense to her, but this was not a path he wanted to go down, not yet.

"Are you here to figure me out?" he asked, earning a scoff in response.

"Why do you have to be so stupidly secretive all the time?" she asked, complete fed up at his behavior.

"Relax, it's nothing for you to worry your pretty head about," said Kol airily, waving her off and inciting her further.

"You bloody _prick_ –" she growled out, but Kol ignored her then, pulling out his phone and dialing quickly.

"Oi, Sweets, meet at that café we were at a few days ago for lunch, I'll see you in soon." He hung up the phone only to have it ripped out of his hands and thrown against the wall by Rebekah, who was now right in front of him, completely livid.

"Oh, here we go," said Kol sarcastically, "come on Bekah, throw your tantrum and be done with it."

"_How dare you," _she snarled, "how dare you come back to life and say absolutely _nothing _to your family?! To _me_?!"

"Oh, because you were always so loyal to me, is that it?" Kol spat back, having had enough of his sister's accusations. He pushed off from the desk and walked forwards, forcing her to retreat slightly. "Shall we talk about all those times you let Nik stuff me in a box?" he asked, noticing how she flinched back. "How you grieved my death for a day before you were best friends with the bitch who killed me?!"

Rebekah clenched her fists, "For God's sake Kol, you were dead! _Dead. _And then you just miraculously come back to life and instead of telling your family, you decide to prance around the country with some twit instead of telling us! I am your _sister, _what makes you think I couldn't have helped you?!"

Kol just laughed in her face, cold and caustic. "You couldn't have helped. You wouldn't have. You would've stuck your head in the sand and pretended nothing was happening."

"You don't know that, you didn't even think to tell us –"

"Why do you care so much about what I was doing?" Kol smirked then, his eyes hard. "Is it because if you were helping me, you could've been taken away from this happy _kingdom?_ I remember the early days you know, I watched it all play out – hardly a fairytale. No, I seem to recall you being sidelined by both of our brothers and the man you professed to care for, all in the name of power. But that's just the way it is, isn't it?" He tilted his head, looking at her with mock pity. "Poor Bekah. Always feeling unappreciated and ignored. Never good enough for anybody."

Rebekah's hand came up like lightning and the sound of her slap echoed through the room. Neither brother nor sister said a word, the former keeping his face stony, while the latter felt her eyes burn with tears.

"You deserve it," she said quietly. "You deserve what's going to happen to you."

Kol stiffened, his eyes hardening in suspicion. "What are you talking about?"

The sound of footsteps interrupted their détente and Kol snapped his head up to meet the eyes of his hybrid brother.

"Kol," he said, deceptively calm, "I think it's time we all had a little chat."

* * *

><p>Caroline huffed as she checked her phone for the tenth time, throwing it down on the table with a bit more force than was necessary upon seeing that she had no messages. Craning her neck, she looked up and down the street from the café, wondering if Kol had gotten distracted with a girl or a meal, but there was no sign of the familiar mop of brown hair or hint of his distinctive accent, no matter how carefully she listened for it. She was definitely annoyed now, what was the point of dragging her from redecorating if he was going to be a no-show? She picked up her phone again, flipping through some pictures she had taken over the last year, when she was startled out of her solitude by someone setting across from her.<p>

"Finally, what he hell took you so long…" Caroline trailed off as she looked up and realized that while there was a Mikaelson sitting across from her, it was decidedly _not _Kol.

"Good afternoon, Miss Forbes."

"Elijah…uh, hi! What are you doing here?" Caroline sat up straighter, feeling an almost irrational urge to appear more proper and refined than she probably was as a twenty-year old.

(Thank God for Miss Mystic Falls training.)

Elijah sat still and silent opposite her, observing her carefully for a moment. He was impeccably dressed, his suit looking perfectly normal for him despite it just being a casual, sunny afternoon in the French Quarter, hardly a place requiring formality.

After letting them sit in silence while he assessed her, Elijah finally spoke. "How do you find New Orleans?"

His question was polite but his voice was as cold as steel and Caroline felt her nerves rise. "It's beautiful," she answered carefully. "Very different from Mystic Falls."

Elijah nodded thoughtfully. "And how is Mystic Falls?"

His question was innocent but Caroline stiffened, ducking her head slightly, not willing to think about her hometown, now or ever if she could help it. "It's fine."

Elijah's eyes narrowed at her obvious avoidance of the topic, but let the issue slide, for which Caroline was grateful for. For all that Elijah was purported to be the 'noble' one of the Originals, it didn't change the fact that he was as old and as deadly as the rest of his family. His quiet scrutiny was something she was incredibly unfamiliar with, and for a moment, she saw the cold, cruel man he could be when crossed. A shiver raced up her spine as she realized just how precarious her situation was.

"So!" said Caroline brightly, trying to appear as composed as possible, "Do you know where Kol is? He sent me a message saying that he'd meet me here soon, but he's late."

"Kol is currently busy with Niklaus and Rebekah," answered Elijah evenly.

"He's 'busy'?" asked Caroline, immediately apprehensive. "That doesn't make sense, he said he would meet me – "

"Caroline, my brother has returned back to my family from the dead, surely there's a lot to be discussed there?"

She bristled at his sharp tone, recognizing his underlying message. _'This is family business. Keep yourself out of it.'_

"Then why wouldn't he tell me?" she asked carefully, trying not to say anything too provoking.

"Perhaps he simply forgot, Kol can be rather careless you know," said Elijah with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Not that it particularly matters, I was rather hoping to get a moment alone to speak with you."

Caroline raised an eyebrow, having a pretty good idea of what Elijah was going to ask her, but her suspicion had been sufficiently aroused. "And what do you want to _talk _about?"

"What are you and my brother doing here?"

"Maybe you should ask Kol."

"I'm asking _you." _ Elijah folded his arms on top of the table and leant forward slightly, lowering his voice. "You appear in this city by my brother's side, you're clearly helping him on some matter involving his resurrection, don't you think we have a right to know what's going on?"

Caroline faltered, knowing that she had given similar arguments to Kol ever since they set foot in Louisiana, but she wasn't about to crack under this kind of interrogation. "I promised Kol I'd keep things quiet. I'm not going to break that promise."

Elijah leant back, assessing her carefully. "I see. I must say, you're very loyal to my brother."

"He helped me when I needed it."

"Ah yes, I suppose that has something to do with your odd tendency to rip apart vampires rather than humans?"

Caroline felt her jaw tighten and couldn't think of what to say, but she met his stare unblinkingly.

"You have to know that such behavior is incredibly shunned amongst vampires," said Elijah, noticing her discomfort. "I suppose having an Original on your side would help you survive whatever affliction you've developed. But you can't get used to having Kol by your side constantly."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she snapped before thinking, sensing that Elijah was hiding something in his words. "Elijah, where the hell is Kol? What's he really doing?"

"You're fairly brave," he said, sidestepping her question entirely. "Or at least, you're not as scared as most would be."

"Where's Kol?" Caroline pressed again, suddenly remembering Klaus' behavior the last time she had seen him. "Elijah, is Klaus going to do something?! Please, you have to tell me, you can't let him do anything to Kol, he doesn't understand what's going on –"

"Then explain it to me," Elijah interrupted sharply. "Let us in on the matter; tell me how Kol came back to life and what the two of you are so adamant to keep quiet."

"I can't!" Caroline cried, shaking her head, clenching and unclenching her fists on the table, her fingers twisting her ring nervously.

Elijah sighed in frustration, and stood up abruptly. "Have it your way. Keep your silence for now but know that it can't last. You'll have to speak up eventually, very soon, Kol won't be able to." He turned and left, leaving Caroline shaken in her seat, staring at his retreating back with growing trepidation.

He had clearly meant something by his last words, he had let something slip that he never meant to – something was wrong. The Original family never liked being denied the truth and they had been kept from their brother's secrets for too long. Kol was in some sort of danger, and she could make a pretty good guess as to what it was.

"Damn it Kol!" she muttered under her breath, making up her mind and springing to her feet, running after Elijah as quickly as she could and hoping she wasn't too late.

* * *

><p>"You know, I'm starting to feel a little ganged up on here," said Kol with a smirk as he leant back against his desk, facing down his brother and sister. Neither looked particularly in the mood for jokes, Rebekah still scowling from his earlier insult.<p>

"It's because you _are_ being cornered, Kol," said Klaus with a light sneer. "This has gone on long enough; we're not letting you leave without giving us some proper answers."

"I'm starting to see why it might have been a good idea to keep things to myself," Kol fired back, readying himself for a fight.

Klaus clenched his fists and stared down his brother. "I'm putting an end to this, Kol. You are in _my _city, in _my _kingdom, and you will obey _my _rules!"

"Your _rules_? This is bigger than you, _Niklaus. _I don't have time to care about your _rules._"

"Then we have a problem, Kol." A new voice joined the fray and Elijah stepped into the room, hands tucked in the pockets of his suit, looking grim as he surveyed his younger siblings. "What reason could you possibly have for keeping the fact that you were _alive _from us?"

"I'm seeing _plenty _of good reasons," spat Kol as he eyed his hostile family.

"Enough!" roared Klaus. "I've had _enough _of your games, Kol, so if you insist on holding your silence, then you leave us no choice." Klaus reached into his jacket and pulled out a familiar silver dagger, the sight of which made Kol's eyes widen, just for a moment.

"So predictable, Nik," said Kol in a low whisper as he eyed the dagger. He looked up towards Elijah and Rebekah, "Aren't you two tired of daggers? Couldn't you have gotten rid of them at some point?" He smirked, but neither of them rose to the jibe, instead moving to flank Klaus. Kol realized it then, that his fate had already been decided upon, not just by Klaus – but by all of them.

(He didn't know if he'd ever live to admit it, but the betrayal stung.)

"Unbelievable!" he yelled, his fury rising. "So this is it then, _family above all, always and forever – _that was your little coda, wasn't it? For a thousand years, it was nothing more than a _joke._"

Klaus growled and his grip on the dagger tightened in threat, but Kol just laughed in his face and spread his arms wide, taking a step forward.

"Go on then! Put me down! You have no idea what will come next, no _clue _of the hell that's going to descend, but if you're so adamant on maintaining your _kingdom, _then drive a dagger through my heart!"

"Have it your way brother," spat Klaus.

"_No!"_

He rushed forward, eyes golden and fangs dropped, and felt the dagger sink into soft flesh, but instead of the greying face of his little brother, he was met instead by blonde curls and wide blue eyes, soft pink lips parted in shock as the pain of a knife to the heart took hold.

Caroline had run into the room at the last second. She had taken the dagger for Kol.

The blade was not fully lodged in her heart, and it wouldn't do much to hurt her, being a weapon used only for Original vampires, but a dagger to the heart hurt nonetheless and Caroline nearly buckled over from the sharp edge of the blade scraping against her chest. She focused her strength on remaining upright, staring Klaus straight in the eye with as much resolve as she could manage, trying to convey the fact that she wasn't about to back down.

"Nice timing Sweets," she heard Kol mutter from behind her.

"Shut up jackass, I'm trying to save your life!" she hissed back, still keeping her gaze locked with Klaus who couldn't erase the shock from his face.

Klaus looked between Caroline's steely eyes and then glanced down at the dagger in her chest. Blood was pooling, marring the flowery dress she was wearing, _he was the cause. _He yanked the dagger out then, and took a step back, staring at her in disbelief, words lodged in his throat.

"Caroline, you need to leave this to us," said Elijah gravely, taking a step forward before a light growl from Klaus stopped him. Despite what she had just done, his edict that no one should touch her remained in place. At least, no one but him.

"Get out before I rip your heart out myself!" screeched Rebekah, furious again that Caroline and Kol stood against them.

"I'm not leaving," said Caroline evenly, and Klaus snarled then, torn between pleading with her and snapping her neck to get her out of the way. It was only the dark red stain of blood on her that kept him at bay, after all these years, he still felt guilt at the thought of harming Caroline Forbes.

"So this is how deep your loyalty runs?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Yeah, it is," she said determinedly, licking her lips and straightening up.

"You would go so far as to presume you can fight off three Originals?!" he yelled, pointing the dagger in the her direction.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, hoping that she had called his bluff. And he did falter, just for a second before he strode forward, enraged and Caroline cast around her mind desperately for the words that would convince him why he shouldn't hurt her.

"You don't get it, do you?! For an entire year, he was the only person I knew. He was the only person I really talked to, the only one who knew my real name, the only person who knew what I was going through! The thing is…I owe him. So I can't let you kill him, not over this."

Her declaration hung in the air, and Caroline hoped to God it was enough. Elijah and Rebekah made no move to try and take her out, thank God, and Klaus could only stare her down, torn between harming her and allowing her to leave with Kol and she could tell it was taking everything he had not to simply reach around her and simply deal with Kol himself.

"What the _fuck _are you waiting for?! Just kill both of them!" All attention turned to yet another newcomer and Klaus turned to find Marcel, who he knew had been waiting downstairs while the siblings dealt with their brother, standing in the doorway, staring at Klaus with contempt. "Come on, do it!"

"Stay out of this!" Klaus snarled, but his order was punctuated by a loud crash and he turned back to see that the window to Kol's back had been smashed through, Kol and Caroline nowhere to be seen.

"_Fuck,_" he snarled, going over to the open window and seeing no sign of either his brother or Caroline on the ground below. It was hardly a long jump for vampires, but he had been robbed of his chance to put Kol down, at least not without completely incurring Caroline's ire. She had made her position clear – she would stand between him and Kol. And if there was anything that could have been weighted against his current anger at his brother, it was the promise he made to Caroline that he would help her.

Turning back to face the others, he was met with Rebekah, taking one long hard look at him and then turning on her heel and marching out with a scoff. Elijah followed, sighing while he went, leaving only Marcel.

"You said you had things under control, Klaus!" yelled Marcel. "You said you knew what you were doing, why didn't you take them both out?!"

"It would appear the situation is more complex than I thought," said Klaus, ignoring Marcel as he went over to the desk and tore through the papers in a fury, intent on either taking out his anger or figuring out a fragment of Kol's secret on his own.

Marcel seethed, watching Klaus, he knew with certainty that Davina had been right. Klaus would never make a move against his brother, or the blonde vampire. He had lost sight of what was good for New Orleans. With newfound certainty, he flashed out of the room.

Klaus shredded the papers with ease, none of them providing a hint of useful information. Random runes, names of towns, all were meaningless to him, so with a roar he picked up a chair and flung it into a wall, tipping over the entire desk a moment later. He moved to cause some more damage before he looked down to glimpse a scrap of paper underneath his foot. He leant down and picked it up, recognizing it as a sketch of a mark he had only ever seen once before in his life. A mark connected to a threat that he had _never _hoped to encounter again.

He knew where Kol and Caroline had gone. And _finally, _he was catching on to the truth.

* * *

><p>"Bloody, godforsaken, <em>bastards!<em>" Kol ranted, pacing like a caged tiger in the living room of Caroline's apartment. "Who cares if Nik's the only _actual_ one, Elijah's such a _hypocrite, _it's unbelievable, to say nothing about Rebekah who only cares about those daggers if they're being shoved into her own bloody heart, not that the strumpet doesn't deserve it!"

"Who calls people strumpets these days?" muttered Caroline under her breath as she walked out of the bedroom, having changed into blood free clothes. Kol paid her no attention, but she figured she had better let him get it out of his system, he was completely furious. And if she had to guess – she'd say he was hurt, too.

"They were so ready to just shove me into a box, and it hasn't even been a week, those _wankers!_"

"I'm surprised Klaus waited this long," said Caroline drily, ignoring the glare Kol tossed her. "Oh come on Kol – you know him way better than I do, and even I know that he has insane temper issues. Are you actually surprised?"

Kol sighed, the tension dropping off slightly as he ran a hand over his face. "No," he conceded. "I'm not surprised. I just didn't think they'd put up such a _united _front."

Caroline sighed, but tried to remain optimistic. "Look on the bright side, at least you didn't actually end up in a coffin, right?" she said cheerfully.

Kol looked her over for a moment and cleared his throat, looking a little awkward. "On that score – that thing that you did – when you stopped Nik. That was – it was very - "

Caroline grinned. "You're welcome, Kol."

He smirked, "Thanks, Caroline. Really." He flopped down on the sofa in front of the TV, and leant his head back, mulling over the past hour. "'Always and Forever!' For a thousand years, that bloody triumvirate ran around acting as if they actually gave two shits about _family._" His words were caustic and bitter, and he spat them out with disdain.

"Relax, I'm going to cheer you up," said Caroline, coming to sit down next to him, setting a bowl of jellybeans on the coffee table in front of them, and holding one hand behind her back.

"And _how _do you intend that, darling?" asked Kol tiredly.

She smiled and pulled out her hidden hand revealing what she had been holding, a DVD.

"_From Russia with Love?" _Kol asked, a smile spreading on his face.

"Well, Sean Connery _is_ your favourite Bond, even though I think Daniel Craig is _way_ better, but you're the one who almost got shoved in a coffin so I guess it's only fair. What do you say?" she asked with a knowing smirk that was quickly matched by him and not moments later they sat in companionable silence, watching the first scenes of the movie play out on the screen in front of them.

Caroline took a handful of Jellybeans and shoved them into her mouth, earning her a sigh from Kol. "Alright darling, spit it out," he said with a wave of his hand.

"Whadyoumean?" asked Caroline through a mouthful of jellybeans.

"You shove food in your face when you're nervous, what's on your mind?"

Caroline swallowed the candy and bit her lip, eventually meeting Kol's stare hesitantly. "Okay look, so I know they just sort of ganged up on you and tried to kill you…but I think you still need to get your siblings help."

"Are you crazy?!" Kol asked, "After what they tried to do to me?"

"Kol, you show up here, and don't say a word about how or why, don't you think they're going to be just a little suspicious?" Caroline said earnestly. "And besides, we _never _had to reveal ourselves like we did; you _wanted _them to know you were alive. You're the one who stayed in the mansion; you know that a part of you wants to be with your family again."

"Caroline, I don't think you fully realize the issue here. _They want me dead," _said Kol adamantly.

"They want the truth!" said Caroline, "Don't they deserve to know? Plus, we're running out of leads, we need more help!"

Kol scoffed and turned away from her, focusing on watching James Bond grapple with an adversary. "Why do you care so much if my siblings and I ever properly reconcile?"

"Maybe I just want somebody to get a happy ending," said Caroline quietly, sitting back in her seat, watching the movie in silence.

_BANG!_

The sound had not been from the TV and they jumped to their feet, facing the door which had been kicked open, Klaus standing in the threshold. He marched in and reached into his jacket, and both Kol and Caroline stood ready for a dagger to be drawn. However, instead of a blade, Klaus produced a piece of paper and threw it at their feet. Caroline bent quickly and picked it up, recognizing the illustration – and immediately, she knew Klaus had recognized it too.

"When were you going to speak up?" he asked, his voice a deadly whisper. "How long were you going to keep this to yourself?"

"Nik, you have no idea what's going on," said Kol darkly.

"_THEN EXPLAIN IT TO ME!_" Klaus roared. "Explain it _all_ – and tell me what the hell it has to do with _Silas."_

__All day I've been wondering  
>What is inside of me,<br>Who can I blame for it?  
>I say it runs in the family<em> _

* * *

><p><strong>Well. There's that. Lot's to tell there, and hopefully it'll come soon, until then, please let me know what you thought! I've got so many reviews to reply to, which I'll hopefully be doing presently.<strong>

**Chapter title and song lyrics are from "Runs in the Family" by Amanda Palmer**

**Goodnight folks!**


	5. Team

**Author's Note: And this chapter is brought to you by Nathaniel Buzolic guest starring on Pretty Little Liars and thus reaffirming my love of him. Thank you very, very, _very, _much to all of you wonderful readers, for every review and alert, it absolutely means the world. Answers ahead in this one!**

**Disclaimer: Nope. Not mine.**

* * *

><p><em>Wait 'til you're announced<br>We've not yet lost all our graces  
>The hounds will stay in chains<br>Look upon your greatness  
>That you'll send the call out<em>

_**THE CAVES UNDERNEATH MYSTIC FALLS,  
>MARCH 2014 <strong>_

_Drip, drip, drip…_

_That was the first thing he heard. The first thing his senses could focus on, the solitary drip of water, from somewhere nearby. Gradually, he became aware of his surroundings, the feel of cold earth beneath his body, the faint taste of ash in the air. And as he finally cracked open his heavy eyes, he saw the darkness around him clear and soon became apparent that he was surrounded. _

"_What in hell…" he muttered, his voice nothing more than a hoarse whisper, his throat parched from disuse. _

"_Rise, vampire. Rise and witness your resurrection." The command was from a female very close by and Kol managed to turn his head to see a young woman kneeling near his head, her pale hands fluttering near him as she held one wrist over his mouth and held a sharp blade in her other hand, quickly slitting her vein and letting blood fall into Kol's mouth. As the blood slid down his throat, Kol slowly, slowly felt his strength returning, the power granted by a thousand years of being one of the world's most terrifying creatures and he relished in the feeling of his body once more coming alive. If he had any state of priorities he might wonder more how this could possibly be happening, but the rush was too much, the blood was too much and it consumed his every thought in that one, fleeting moment_

_Too soon the hand was pulled away but its job was done, Kol sat up and fully took stock of where he was. The cave was dark and damp but as he narrowed in his gaze on the walls, he realized there were some very familiar markings on the walls. _

"_Why am I here?" he asked curtly. Surrounding him were no less than twelve people, all silently watching him, their stares wide and unblinking. _

"_You have been chosen," explained the woman kneeling next to him, who slowly rose to her feet, uncaring of her bleeding wound, though Kol eyed it hungrily. He held off on attacking her though – first, he wanted answers._

"_I'll ask again," he said coldly. "Moments ago I was a ghost in New Orleans, what am I doing in a cave underneath Mystic Falls?" _

"_You have been chosen," repeated the woman, whom he could only assume was a witch. "You have been chosen to assist with the resurrection."_

_Kol rolled his eyes, and gathering his strength, shot to his feet. "Nice try, darling –" he started before a searing pain shot through his skull and doubled him over. He gritted his teeth, more than used to these parlour tricks, but for the first time in a long while, he couldn't bring himself to fight past the haze. Then he realized – he may have been alive, but his strength wasn't what it should be. _

"_What – are – you – doing?!" he said through gritted teeth. _

"_Your resuscitation is not complete," said the witch, her voice soft and composed. Too composed for the situation. Almost as if she was in a haze herself. The pain stopped, but Kol remained on his knees, looking up at the face of the mysterious woman. Dark hair framed a serene face, an expression he noticed was mirrored on the others surrounding her, and the entire coven appeared to be in a trancelike state._

"_You will not know absolute life until your mission is complete," said the witch, completely oblivious to Kol's scrutiny._

_Kol gulped down air, his mind racing as he realized that he was not going to be able to fight off the entire coven in his current state. "And what precisely is my 'mission'?" he asked with contempt._

"_You will help us bring Him back," said the witch, her mouth twisting into a smile, her tranquil attitude enough to make her look slightly psychotic. _

"_Bring 'who' back?" he asked warily. _

"_The First Immortal."_

* * *

><p><em><strong>COLUMBUS, INDIANA<br>APRIL, 2014**_

"_I am so _bored!"_ Caroline dropped her head back against the car's headrest, trying futilely to stretch her limbs in the restricted space of the SUV. Dropping her hands on her head, she squinted through the windshield, watching the front porch of the house not too far ahead, hoping that there was going to be some payoff really soon for the past five hours._

"_Relax darling, eat some jellybeans," said Kol dismissively, leaning back in the driver's seat, his legs propped up on the dashboard. "The problem with young vampires today, you have no patience."_

"_Gee, thanks Grandpa," Caroline muttered, diving her hand into the bag of candy resting in the center console and talking a handful, shoving it in the face. The sugar took some of the edge off for now, but if she had to stay in the car for much longer, she was going to lose it._

"_She'll be back sooner or later, cheer up," said Kol, waving off her obvious irritation. "Once she's home, we pop in, ask a few questions and we're golden! Now for God's sake will you please stop tapping your foot?"_

_Caroline hadn't even realized her foot moving, but she stilled it with a scowl, crossing her arms and focusing on staying still. "I don't get it," she said after a moment, "I always thought _you _would hate just…siting around."_

"_Oh believe me, I do," said Kol, smirking. "But try and remember that I just spent a significant amount of time _dead, _stuck on the Other Side with absolutely nothing to do except sit around, watching people."_

_They lapsed into silence. Caroline fought not to fidget but now her mind was filled with questions, and she wasn't sure how to ask them. "Kol?" she said hesitantly. "What's it like? Being on the Other Side?"_

_He took a breath, still facing the darkness. "It's boring. And lonely, I suppose. Not a lot to do."_

_He didn't face her, but Caroline noticed the weight of his words. She couldn't think of what else to say, though she still had so many questions for him. Before she could manage another word, he jolted forward slightly, intently peering out the window, his lips twisting into a pleased smile. _

"_She's back," he said and Caroline leant forward, noticing the dark silhouette of a young woman standing in front the door, twisting a key in the lock. Both vampires were out of the car and in front of her before she could close it behind her. _

"_Evening love," said Kol cheerfully. "Mind if we step in?" He didn't wait for a response, his pupils dilating before the witch could think to do a thing to fight him off, "Let us inside, there's a good girl." _

"_C-come in," she said shakily and Kol and Caroline pushed their way in, Caroline being sure to send what she hoped was a reassuring smile at the young woman. With any luck, they would get answers but no bloodshed – but she knew how this night could go._

"_You're him," she said, staring at Kol's face. To Caroline's surprise, the fear suddenly left the witch, a soft serene smile taking its place. "You're the one they spoke about." _

"_Who spoke about what?" asked Caroline, looking between the witch and Kol. "Kol, what the hell is she talking about?"_

_He looked at Caroline with a grimace, then sighed in resignation. "I suppose you're probably going to find out now," he muttered irritated. Instead of actually providing answers though, he turned to the witch and pulled her through her living room and into her kitchen, pushing her into a seat. _

"_I need answers pet," he said lowly. "Tell me where you're all running off to."_

"_We will gather, we will wait," said the woman cryptically, much to Kol's irritation. _

"_Where?" he asked again, "Tell me where I can find them!" _

_He was losing his control, something Caroline hadn't seen for a while so she hurried to stand by him, tugging his arm until he faced her. "Tell me what's going on Kol," she said firmly, "What is she talking about? How does she know you?" _

"_I suspect they've shared the story," Kol said, "They must have sent out a warning to all their members, telling them to keep their silence."_

"_Jesus Christ, who are you even talking about?!" asked Caroline, just as frustrated as he was. "Who is this coven, what do they want with you?!"_

"_He must fulfill his mission." They whipped their heads around to see the witch had slipped away from her chair and was now standing in front of a knife block, a large blade in her hand. _

"_That's not going to work," said Caroline, rolling her eyes. _

_The witch smiled, just wide enough for it to be creepy, before she looked over and stared Kol straight in the eyes. "You must complete your mission. The first immortal must be resurrected." She lifted her knife then, but she didn't aim for either vampire. _

_She sank the blade straight into her own heart._

"_No!" cried Caroline flashing over, fangs already tearing into her own wrist but the damage was done, the life had faded from the witch's eyes and all that was left was corpse. _

"_Oh my god," said Caroline, stunned by the sudden move. "Oh. My. God." She stood up, clenching the edge of the counter, the scent of blood already wreaking havoc on her senses but she focused on Kol who was staring at the witch grimly. _

"_Well that's a shame," he muttered. "Remind me to just compel them immediately next time."_

"_Don't!" cried Caroline, holding up her hand. "Don't joke about this, don't make some fucking cryptic joke right now, and do not lie to me!" She was surprised at how furious she sounded, but her mind was working double-time, the witch's last words ringing in her ear. _

"_She said…she said the First Immortal had to be resurrected. Who was she – did she mean – " There was one name she associated with the words 'First Immortal' these days, just one. And if insane suicidal witches were involved…_

_She looked straight at Kol. He watched her put the pieces together, and saw the exact moment she realized the truth and looked to him for confirmation. _

"_Silas," he said with a nod. "This is about Silas."_

* * *

><p>"I want <em>answers!" <em>Klaus yelled, storming into the apartment, the door banging shut behind him with finality. It made Caroline feel trapped, and she squirmed where she stood, unsure how to start this off. She knew it was a long time coming, she wanted it to happen – but she had never actually put much thought into _how _it would happen. This wasn't something you just blurted out, despite how good she usually was with saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

(In retrospect, it's amazing she didn't spill the beans sooner.)

She looked at Kol who met her eyes and she could still see the hesitation there. Klaus noticed their silent conversation, and growled, the sound reverberating off the walls.

"Enough of your silent games, I came here for an explanation," he snarled.

"I'm reluctant to give one," Kol spat back, "Considering not one hour ago you were ready to kill me!"

"That can still be arranged," said Klaus with a dark smirk, and Caroline hastened to intervene.

"No one's dying tonight," she said firmly, and both looked at her. She squirmed again and found her voice, "Look, we're going to tell you everything," she said, noting Kol's glare. "He needs to know!" she said earnestly. "How much longer did you think you could keep this up?"

Kol was the one to growl then, but he acquiesced, stomping over to the kitchen and rifling around for three glasses and a bottle of scotch. "Sit down," he called over his shoulder and after a moment, Klaus obliged, taking a seat on the sofa, noticing the large bag of jellybeans and the James Bond movie on screen.

"Uh, sorry, those are mine," said Caroline, feeling a little sheepish as she took the candy and popped a few in her mouth, the stress of the situation getting to her. She sat down next to Klaus, who looked her over skeptically, but she made no apologies for her favourite snack, or the movie that blared on the screen.

"What? I like sugar and we watch James Bond movies when we're bored!" she said, feeling a little defensive of the admittedly odd habits she had picked up with Kol.

"Moneypenny, let me tell you the secret of the world," quoted Kol with a grin as he handed a drink to Caroline, and then one to Klaus.

Caroline lightened up at his line, but saw Klaus looking between them with a hard look in his eyes. Kol shut the screen off and took a seat in the armchair, all three looking at each other to break the awkward silence. Finally, Klaus did.

"How did you come back to life?" he asked his brother.

"A coven of witches."

"Any why in hell would a coven want anything to do with you?" Klaus asked, his brow furrowed.

"They needed him to help them with something," supplied Caroline eagerly. "They thought he would be the one able to do what they needed."

Klaus scoffed. "They were clearly uninformed," he said derisively, taking a sip of his scotch.

"On the contrary brother, I think we both know I'm the only member of this family capable of getting anything done," said Kol with a sneer. "Whereas you are only good for throwing tantrums while Elijah cleans up your messes and Rebekah cries over her lovers."

"You little prat –"

"Seriously?! Can we please not do 'this', right now?" asked Caroline in irritation.

Both brothers stared each other down for a moment before Kol conceded. "Fine. I don't know how – but they knew about my past, specifically my time in Africa, in the thirteenth century, remember?"

"I seem to recall feeling some semblance of peace, so I can only assume you were far away from us, yes," said Klaus.

Kol rolled his eyes, "Well, while you were no doubt entertaining some delusions of power, I had made the acquaintance of a coven of witches that worshipped the being they termed as 'The First Immortal'."

"Silas," said Caroline quietly.

Klaus gritted his teeth. "That was well over nine hundred years ago, what does that have to do with what is happening now?"

Kol frowned, "Put it together, will you? _They're back._ And their mission has remained unchanged. They want to bring back Silas."

Silence hung in the air between them. Klaus slammed his glass down on the coffee table, clenching his fists on his knees, his mind stewing over Kol's revelation. "It makes no sense," he said after a moment, "How could a coven of witches that existed in the twelfth century be back _now?_ I thought you killed them all!"

"I did kill them all!" said Kol, although he couldn't help a flicker of uncertainty.

"Clearly you weren't thorough enough!" spat Klaus, "And considering how careless you are, this doesn't surprise-"

"_Careless?_ Oh that's rich coming from someone who's spent centuries making messes the rest of us had to deal with – "

"Stop it!" interjected Caroline. The brothers faced each other off, fury radiating off both.

"How do I know this is even the truth?" asked Klaus through narrowed eyes.

"It's true, Klaus. I promise," said Caroline softly. She raised her hand, uncertain whether or not to lay it on his arm, but she held off, not sure if he would appreciate the gesture right now.

Klaus looked her over at her, searching her face for any hint of deception. Finding none, he softened just a touch before hardening his gaze again and turning back to Kol. "Why did you drag her into this?" he asked harshly.

"Hey, no one dragged me into anything!"

"I needed her help," explained Kol with a shrug. "The witches held my full strength over my head, they swore they were only going to bring be back permanently if I helped them, and that was never going to happen, so I needed someone watching my back while I at least tried to stop them."

"I was the backup," said Caroline, not able to help the small rush of pride she felt.

"And bloody well good at it too," said Kol, raising his glass to toast her.

Caroline smiled in gratitude, "Well, you needed it."

Klaus huffed in annoyance, "Could you please explain what precisely you've been doing for an entire bloody _year _before you decided to grace us with your presence here?"

"We needed to track down the witches, and stop them. It was far more than the twelve that brought me back, I was sure of that, and I was right. They're scattered all over the country. But we've only been able to make contact with a handful, and they've been rather…unhelpful."

"We went to New York," said Caroline, sitting up and adding to the story. "Apparently they were going to be meeting there, and we wanted to crash it – but things sort of went wrong. But, we did end up with this list of names, actual names of some of the members, we think they might even be higher-ups in the cult."

"And that list led us here," added Kol. "Jack Carraway was on it, but clearly he found out we were here, just like the rest of them."

Klaus took a deep breath, absorbing all that they had told him. "All this time," he said in a deadly whisper, "all this time you _knew, _that someone was trying to bring _Silas _back but you kept silent?! You played your ridiculous games, you said _nothing – " _

"Of course I said nothing!" cried Kol, rising to his feet. "Do you remember the last time you were faced with the possibility of Silas? Do you remember how you scoffed, how you cared so little that I was forced to take it upon myself – do you remember how I _died _in the process?!"

Klaus leapt to his feet, facing down his little brother, ready to yell back but Kol's words triggered a memory, a memory he had, in all honestly attempted to suppress – the memory of his brother's body in flames.

"An entire _year,_" said Klaus, "You had no right to wait that long."

"I had every right, and every reason," spat Kol.

Klaus growled, but before he could hurt Kol, he flashed over to the nearest lamp, grabbing it and throwing it against a wall, ignoring Caroline's shriek.

"Hey, I'm in the middle of redecorating!" she cried indignantly, but Klaus brushed her off, storming through the front door.

"Prick," Kol muttered, staring after his brother. "Do you see why I held off on telling him? The bastard could never deal with a crisis that wasn't about him."

"He's just…overwhelmed," said Caroline, running a hand through her hair. "I was too, remember. We just – we have to talk to him." Making up her mind, she ran out after Klaus and after a moment more of cursing his brother to hell, Kol decided to follow her.

* * *

><p><em><strong>THE WITCH'S HOUSE, COLUMBUS, INDIANA<br>APRIL 2014**_

_Caroline sat in the seat the witch had, trying to process everything Kol had told her. "I don't get it," she said quietly. "You just said you killed the coven centuries ago, how can they be back?" _

_Kol ran a hand over his face. "Look, I don't know, okay? I don't know how they're back, I don't know how it could be possible, I just know it's happening. They want Silas back."_

"_How do you even know they'll be able to do it."_

"_I don't. But they've already managed to come back from extinction, so I'm in no position to underestimate them, am I?"_

_Caroline took a deep, shuddering breath, a deluge of memories coming back to her. Silas impersonating Klaus, Silas almost killing her mother, Silas doing everything in his power to make their lives hell. He had put Stefan in a safe underwater, he was ruthless and powerful – and she knew one thing with certainty. _

_She never wanted to face him again. _

"_I can't – I can't deal with this again," she said shakily, unable to meet Kol's eyes. _

"_What are you saying, Caroline," asked Kol darkly. _

"_I can't have anything to do with Silas again, I'm sorry!" she said before rising to her feet and flashing out the front door without thinking about what she was doing. She was jerked back by a hand on her arm and then she was facing Kol who was staring her down murderously._

"_You can't be serious," he said with a sneer. "You're going to run? I'll be honest, I never took you for such a coward."_

_She flinched, and tried to push him off, beating her hand against his jacket but to no avail. _

"_I can't do this!" she cried in desperation. "The Augustine society – and now this – I can't, I won't deal with all of this!"_

"_You're quite the disappointment," Kol hissed, and she knew he was doing his best to hurt her if she wouldn't help._

"_You should've told me!" she cried. "You should've told me right from the start that this was about Silas!"_

_Kol scoffed and loosened his grip for a second, long enough for Caroline to wrench her arm away and run. Kol let her go for a moment, feeling the unmistakable twinge of disappointment. But that shouldn't have been the case – she was just a baby vampire. They were a dime a dozen, and he would find another. _

_(He knows that at least a part of that thought is a lie. There are lots of baby vampires in the world, but none with the exact drive and tenacity of Caroline Forbes.)_

_A squeal of tires sounded through the night and Kol frowned, immediately reaching his hand into his pocket, only to find it empty. Her realized that the little vampire had actually pickpocketed him while she was trying to fight him off!_

_Flashing over to where he had parked, his suspicions were confirmed. "The bitch stole the car," he muttered to himself, mostly out of anger and frustration. But there's a little part of him – a small part, mind – that found he admired the move. _

"_Well played Moneypenny," he muttered to himself before preparing to stalk back to the motel, and figure out his next move from there._

* * *

><p>Caroline rushed through the crowds of the French Quarter, taking care not to run at her full vampire speed. As much as she knew this was vampire central, that didn't mean there were no tourists milling around, and she kept up appearances for their sake. It made it slightly more difficult to locate Klaus however, and she scanned the street for sandy-blonde curls but found no sign of the hybrid anywhere.<p>

She turned in her spot, looking for a hint of where he could've gone and stilled when she realized that there was somebody watching her. On one of the balconies overlooking Bourbon Street, a man leant against the railing, watching her intently. She glared up at him, figuring he was just a bored tourist before she noticed someone standing under the street corner, watching her as well. Frowning, she was about to flash over and ask them exactly what they were so interested in when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She jerked, but relaxed when she realized it was only Kol.

"Have you seen your brother?" she asked quickly, deciding to ignore her new fans.

"Not hair nor hide," said Kol, rolling his eyes. "What are you even trying to accomplish?" he asked. "You know Nik does things like this, he'll drain a few bodies and find us in the morning."

"I'd like to avoid the drained bodies part if you don't mind," said Caroline, prompting another eye roll. "Look, I'll stay on Bourbon Street, why don't you check the bars on St. Ann?"

Kol complied and sauntered off, leaving Caroline to walk the street, still craning her neck for any sign of Klaus. She was jostled by someone as she stood on a street corner, and she turned with an indignant "Hey!" but was met with the scowling faces of two men, both towering over her. Her new 'stalkers', she realized.

"We've been lookin' for you, bitch," said one of them.

"Well, you've found me," said Caroline, hands on hips, readying for a fight. "What the fuck do you want? I've got hybrids to track down."

One of the men reached forward and pushed her, she easily grabbed his wrist and snapped it. "Listen buddy, I just said I have things to do, so find some other hobby, got it?"

She ran off, hoping they had gotten the point that she wasn't just some dumb blonde, but a sudden impact forced her off her feet and sent her flying into an alleyway. Groaning, she picked herself up from the grimy ground and flashed to her feet, noticing her stalkers stood a few feet away. And this time, they had brought friends.

"Someone plan a party?" she asked glibly, not showing any concern, though ten-to-one odds weren't exactly favourable. Not that she was afraid of her own death though – but she doubted these guys cared much about her current control issues.

"A party to finally take you out," said the same man who had threatened her earlier. "You want to just walk in here and kill our friends? Not gonna happen. This is what happens when you mess with the Quarter."

"Oh my god," said Caroline, "You assholes don't get it, do you? First of all, you can't beat me." Her words just incurred mocking laughter from the ten vampires who had sized her up and obviously decided she was an easy target, rumours be damned. "Secondly, Klaus Mikaelson, who I'm pretty sure is _King, _won't be too happy."

She felt a little silly using Klaus' name like that, but if it meant no bloodshed, she'd swallow her pride.

"Mikaelson is gonna forget you," said one female vampire dismissively. "You're not even that pretty."

Caroline rolled her eyes, "Well, this has been fun, can I go now?"

"Not a chance in hell," said her earlier attacker and he bared his fangs. "This is for Josh."

He lunged forward, pushing her by the shoulders, but Caroline fought back, taking her hand and swiping it across his face, drawing blood. He reeled back just a moment, and in that short moment the scent of pure, fresh, _vampire _blood wafted through the air –and that was all it took.

The Augustine Vampire was ready for a fight.

* * *

><p>Not far away, Kol found his older brother leaning against the outside wall of a bar, bottle of bourbon in hand as he chugged it down greedily.<p>

"You're scaring the tourists," said Kol drily as he took the bottle and took a swig. "New Orleans will be no fun without them, where am I supposed to get my blood from?"

Klaus snatched it back and glared at him, "You're welcome to leave this city, anytime."

Kol smirked. "Now why would I do that when I can stay and annoy my big brother?" he asked.

"I thought you would be busy taking down an evil conspiracy."

"And who better to help me?"

"You clearly thought better for a _year!"_

"Is that what's really bothering you?" said Kol suddenly, scrutinizing his brother. "Are you more concerned about Silas, or the fact that I waited for a year before coming here?"

He received no response for a moment, but then Klaus looked away from him, and stared unblinkingly into the street. "I watched you burn, Kol," he said darkly. "I watched you burn on the floor of the Gilbert house. I watched over your body for days."

All the answers to so many questions hung in the air between the two brothers, but none were said out loud.

"I know you did, Nik," said Kol quietly. "While you were watching me, I was watching you."

Klaus snapped his gaze up to his brothers' and they stared at each other in silence. Klaus started to speak but stilled, hearing something…not right, in the distance. "Can you hear that?" he asked.

Kol focused and could just make out a scream and the sound of snarls. "Fuck – _Caroline." _

Nothing more was said as they followed the sounds and came to a skidding halt in front of an alleyway in Bourbon Street, with headless bodies strewn around, blood seeping through cracks. A now familiar sight greeted them, that of Caroline drenched in blood, a body falling from her hands, eyes darkened and mind lost to bloodlust.

"What happened here?!" roared Klaus, drawing her attention. She stumbled slightly, just enough for Kol to flash forward and grab her arms, restraining her while Klaus looked towards a young female vampire who had not been completely killed, though her throat bled profusely.

"Tell me what happened," he asked, crouching down and compelling her quickly, hearing Caroline snarl nearby.

"We ambushed her," said the vampire weakly. "We wanted to kill her for what she did…but she killed – she started killing…" With a growl, Klaus reached down and finished Caroline's work, tearing out the vampire's heart and ending her life, incensed people were now making attempts at the blondes life. He stood up and looked to her, and it looked like she was managing to shake herself out of her trance somewhat, taking in the carnage.

"Oh my god," she muttered, the smell of blood too overwhelming. "D-Dawsons" she said and before Klaus could stop him, Kol had neatly snapped her neck.

"What the bloody hell was that for?!" Klaus roared. "She didn't need that!"

"She says the word, I snap her neck, that was the deal!" said Kol, lifting Caroline into his arms.

"It was a ridiculous deal that was your way of controlling her!" Klaus said in accusation.

"You have no place to talk, brother, you have no idea of what we went through!"

"And whose fault was that?!" Klaus shot back. "All of this, all of your games and schemes, how do I know you're not just angling to cause chaos in retribution for what's happened to you?"

"Do you even listen to yourself?" asked Kol, exasperated. "Do you even remember what Silas did? How he rendered you _weak, _made you feel _powerless, _do you remember none of that?! _I was trying to prevent that!_"

Klaus reeled back from the force of Kol's words. It was not something he had considered too seriously, to be honest. "All this time – Christ, all this time you were trying to do the _right thing_?"

Kol rolled his eyes, and hoisted Caroline a little higher. "Well of course, brother. Why do you think she helped me?"

"Kol –"

"Clean this up, will you? And when you're finally convinced that something is happening that _isn't _about you, come find us."

* * *

><p><em><strong>A MOTEL IN COLUMBUS, INDIANA<br>APRIL, 2014**_

_Kol slammed the key into the motel room door, and flung it open, marching in and shutting it with a loud bang, uncaring of who might be woken up at this late hour. So caught up in his fury was he, that it actually took him a moment to notice the figure sitting on one of the beds. _

"_Caroline?" he asked in slight disbelief. _

_She gave a small smile and stood, slowly. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a set of car keys. "Sorry I stole your car," she said sheepishly. _

_In an instant, he had her pinned to a wall by her throat, she kicked her feet and fought for breath. "Back so soon?" he asked callously. "Or are you going to be running off in a moment?"_

"_K-Kol – just let me explain," she struggled to say, "I want – I want to help!"_

_With a frown, he let her go and she slid to the ground, glaring at him as she stood again. "As I was trying to say," she said, rubbing her neck. "I think – no, I want to help you."_

_Kol frowned, looking her over. "And why the sudden change of heart?" he asked skeptically. _

_Caroline fidgeted and looked down, playing with the ring on her finger. "Look…I freaked out because I remember what Silas did to us in Mystic Falls. And he was powerful, and strong and honestly, he freaked the hell out of me. I didn't want to deal with that again."_

"_So you said," said Kol drily but Caroline held up a hand to silence him._

"_Let me finish. Honestly, I still don't want to deal with him…but I know I can't just sit by and let him come back. I have to do something. So, I'm going to help you. I'm on your team now." _

"_Well," said Kol a little awkwardly. "Thank you, I suppose. That's very…nice of you." _

_Caroline laughed at his stilted gratitude. "Don't mention it. If the second most homicidal psychopath I know is going to do this, I guess I should too."_

_Kol smiled, then furrowed his brow. "Wait, second most homicidal psychopath?! Who's the first?"_

"_Your crazy brother," she said rolling her eyes. "By the way, shouldn't you have told him something about this by now?"_

"_Tell Nik? Are you insane? After how he reacted to the possibility of Silas last time, I'm keeping this from him for a good long while. I'd rather not have come back to life just to end up in a box."_

_Caroline didn't look convinced by his explanation, but she shrugged it off. "Fine, it's your call, I guess. But you know, you're going to have to see him eventually."_

"_We'll deal with that when it happens, shall we?"_

* * *

><p>Caroline slipped her tank top over her head, followed by the cotton shorts she slept in, then reached for a towel to run through her damp hair. Nothing like a nice, hot shower to destress, post-slaughter. She winced internally at the reminder of all she had done that night, but tried to temper her guilt-after all, she had been ambushed. Though, she's pretty sure the self-defense excuse went out the window as soon as they had realized she was more than capable of taking them down and tried to run from her…<p>

Oh well. Water under the bridge. At least, that's what she told herself as she focused on other, happier matters, like how she was going to redecorate the bathroom, and get rid of the ugly wallpaper. Seriously, did thousand year old vampires have no taste?

A slight shuffling drew her attention and she tensed, wondering if someone was trying another ambush, though she thought it highly unlikely that anyone would be so eager to try and go after her considering what she had just pulled. Then again, it was probably just Kol wanting to complain about Klaus some more.

"Hey Kol, if you're going to start ranting about Klaus some more, don't break any furniture!" she called out, receiving no response. Frowning, she opened the door and peeked out, finding a familiar hybrid standing in her bedroom.

"Klaus! Oh, sorry, I thought you were-"

"I know, love," he said, eyeing her body. "I must say I find it very interesting that upon hearing someone enter your bedroom late at night, you immediately assume it's my brother."

Caroline rolled her eyes at his obvious implication and the jealously behind his words, choosing not to dignify it with a response and walking over to a vanity, grabbing a comb and running it through her hair.

"So, this is the second time you've been here after I've – you know – gone batshit crazy on some vampires, is this going to become a regular thing?" she asked jokingly, trying not to sound too shaken by what had happened.

"I certainly wouldn't mind it," said Klaus, letting his eyes roam over her long legs, almost completely exposed by the sinfully short length of her shorts. To say nothing about the sheerness of her tank top, and his throat went dry, forcing himself to move his eyes up from her chest.

Caroline noticed his sudden silence though she faced a mirror, she could see him eyeing her up and down, and it caused a rush of heat to go through her. And suddenly, she was very, _very _aware that it was in fact just the two of them, in her bedroom, with her wearing not that much.

"Well, uh, anything you want to talk about?" Caroline asked nervously, hoping he wasn't about to fly into another rage and destroy her apartment.

"In the morning, I think, and with my brother," Klaus said. "I will admit to being a bit blindsided by the news."

"I can relate," said Caroline with a small smile. "But it's all true. Seriously. All the stuff we've done…"

"You can explain it all in the morning," said Klaus, his tone softening.

"So why are you here now?" Caroline asked, confused.

(She wouldn't admit it, but it's nice to know he's checking in on her, just to make sure she's okay.)

"You lost control today," said Klaus, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, I was there," said Caroline drily. "What's your point."

"You said you weren't getting enough vampire blood, and the longer you went without it, the worse the cravings got."

"That's true – but I can deal with it."

Klaus simply raised an eyebrow. "Can you? And what if more vampires come after you? More news of slaughter will spread, and Caroline, I _swear _to you that I will get to the bottom of this, but until I do, I'd rather you had a way to keep yourself satiated so that my brother won't keep snapping your neck. I'd rather not watch that happen again."

Caroline's breath hitched at the resolve in his tone, and had barely noticed him coming closer, though now she stood with her back pressed against the vanity and Klaus inches away. "What – what exactly are you proposing?" she asked.

"My blood. I'm offering you my blood."

Caroline's eyes widened and she stuttered, unable to form a proper response to that. "Your – oh wow – actually?"

Klaus nodded, a small smirk spreading on his face. "What's wrong sweetheart, not up to your taste?"

"Oh no, it's fine, it's great – I mean it's blood and…" she trailed off, unwilling to sound like an idiot while she properly processed exactly what he was offering her.

"Do you mean, you want me to…" Caroline trailed off, focusing her gaze on Klaus' neck, taking a deep breath to alleviate the sudden burst of bloodlust she was feeling.

"I didn't think you'd be so willing to go quite that far," said Klaus, and Caroline could _hear _the innuendo in the words, his voice dripping with charm.

"You thought right," she said firmly, snapping herself back into reality. "I mean, thank you, but I don't think it would be the…_best _idea. I can take care of myself, really."

Klaus frowned a little, "I know you can, Caroline, but consider my offer. I'd give you a blood bag of my blood to start, and a little bit a day should be enough to keep you in check."

Caroline licked her lips nervously, considering his proposal. Much as she didn't want to admit it, there was some sense in it. If she was actually getting vampire blood, the craving for it wouldn't be as strong the next time she got into a fight. And there definitely would be a _next time_, she was sure of it.

"We can try it," she said finally. "We can try it, and see it works."

Klaus grinned widely, "I'm glad you see it that way, sweetheart."

"Blood bags, though!" said Caroline sternly. "I'm not suggesting - this isn't my way of saying that you and I should…" she trailed off, blushing bright red, she was sure and Klaus just chuckled at her.

"Goodnight, Caroline. Get some rest." She relaxed, expecting him to flash away, but before he did, he leant forward and pressed his lips against her cheek. Caroline gasped, and a rush of wind later, he was gone.

"Oh god…" she muttered, pressing her fingers against her cheek. She didn't know what she had just started, but somehow, she knew she wasn't going to be getting much sleep tonight.

_We live in cities you'll never see on screen  
>Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things<br>Living in ruins of a palace within my dreams  
>And you know, we're on each other's team<em>

* * *

><p><strong>And that's a wrap! Please do leave a review and let me know what you think, I hope you're interested in my incorporation of certain parts of TVD mythology that I wish were elaborated on more. All of it fact-checked against what happened in the show, I promise!<strong>

**Chapter title and song lyrics from 'Team' by Lorde**

**And now, I get to catch up on tonight's episode! Until next time. **


	6. Hey Brother

**Author's Note: Oh God, it's been far too long. And there are probably so many things I want to say, but I've been up for over thirty hours so I'm not sure how coherent it'll be. Thank you, thank you, to every single person who's read, commented, alerted, it's what keeping me going through the term paper slog, and I hope you enjoy this installment!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned this, I'd hire a better PR team.**

* * *

><p><em>Hey, brother, there's an endless road to re-discover.<br>Hey, sister, know the water's sweet but blood is thicker.  
>Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you<br>There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do._

_Hey, brother, do you still believe in one another?  
>Hey, sister, do you still believe in love I wonder?<br>Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you  
>There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do.<em>

_**JULY, 2014  
>SEATTLE, WASHINGTON<strong>_

_Kol and Caroline peered up at the office building in front of them, both craning their heads back to see the top. The sun glinted off the glass panels, the light winking in their eyes and Caroline paused to appreciate the sunglasses perched on her nose. Around them, young professionals rushed to and fro, uncaring of the odd young couple who were silently standing still on the sidewalk. _

"_So…we just walk in and find her?" asked Caroline hesitantly. Their latest target was big on personal protection, as they had both discovered when they went to her house and found themselves nearly crippled over from the force of the protection spells she had cast. And their witch wasn't about to let herself be captured by two vampires on a mission, but if she wasn't going to come to them, they were going to go to her. A day of internet research and planning had resulted in an office address which Caroline was a little wary of – after all, this witch clearly had no problem guarding her house, why not here?_

"_I doubt it'll be too difficult," said Kol with a shrug._

"_Seriously?" asked Caroline, side-eyeing him through her sunglasses. "That's it? No gameplan? No exit strategy?"_

"_You're really getting into this, aren't you?" said Kol drily, but Caroline just shrugged him off with an eager grin. _

"_I've never gone deep cover before!"_

"_We're literally going to be ten minutes."_

_The blonde scoffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder, already moving to stride forward and live out her spy fantasy when she was tugged back sharply, Kol's fingers curled tightly around her arm. "What the hell?"_

"_Look around. Look carefully." He was suddenly very serious and Caroline took his advice, looking around the sidewalk. There was nothing out of the ordinary, just a large set of glass doors leading into the building through which people came and went, some planters placed around the doors – _

"_Oh my god – is that vervain?" Caroline didn't have to walk any closer to have her suspicions confirmed, the bright purple flowers were indication enough. It was hardly a weapon though – they couldn't do anything just sitting there. _

"_It's a warning," said Kol grimly. "A 'keep out' sign to all vampires."_

"_So what do we do now?" Caroline asked._

_Kol lost his seriousness and smirked, "Come on pet, where's your sense of adventure?" _

"_But you just said – "_

"_That the old hag wants us to stay away. Luckily, I've never been one to do what I'm told." Linking his arm through hers and tugging her along, Kol strode into the building, pushing his way past the glass doors and into an upscale lobby with smooth marble floors, sleek modern furniture composing a small waiting area in front of a reception desk. _

"_Here you go darling," said Kol quietly, slipping something small and plastic into her hand. It was a card, a driver's license, and while it had Caroline's picture, the name read 'Cecily Fairbanks.' _

"_Fake IDs?" asked Caroline, inspecting the card._

"_We're doing this the old-fashioned way," said Kol, holding up his own card that had the name 'Keith Mathers'. _

"_Where did you even get these?"_

"_I'm an Original darling, I know people. Now, get ready, and try to keep up alright?"_

_Caroline sniffed in indignation. "Excuse me, I'll have you know I was a drama major, I can keep up just fine."_

_Kol grinned. "Right then. Let's get to work."_

* * *

><p>"Now, what's <em>your <em>name darling?" Kol smirked over the rim of his glass, eyeing the blonde behind the bar top who was frowning at his advances. She scoffed lightly at his question but Kol remained undeterred, hardly caring if she seemed uninterested. "Why so hostile, pet?" he asked with a pout, fake sincerity shining in his eyes.

"_Pet? _Seriously, that's like, ridiculously condescending."

Kol snorted, "Oh come on Camille, no need to get snippy."

Camille started, nearly dropping the glass she was wiping down. "How do you know my name?" she asked, her voice rife with suspicion.

Kol's predatorial grin widened. "Same way I know everything about this place," he said with a careless shrug. "You could say I'm _very _observant."

"So why even ask for it?"

"Just trying to be polite."

"Spare us Kol, you haven't been polite a day in your life." Klaus' voice entered the conversation as the hybrid took a seat on the barstool next to Kol's, gesturing to Camille who immediately placed a glass of bourbon in front of him.

"No need to be a grump Nik, everyone knows how charming I am," said Kol with a grin, leering at a fidgeting Camille who was quickly picking up just how dangerous Kol was.

"Spare us your false charms," said Klaus drily, taking a long sip of his drink.

"I learnt from the best, brother." Kol raised his glass in a toast to Klaus and the hybrid snorted, unable to help grinning.

"Wait, _brother?_ He's your – you have another brother?" Camille swung her head between the two Originals, both of whom tuned to her with raised eyebrows, a look of boredom so identical she wondered if _they_ even realized how strong the family resemblance was.

"Honestly Nik, did you tell no one I existed? No, don't answer that, I was there when you were dictating your memoirs, could you not have spared one chapter to your infinitely more interesting younger brother?"

Klaus rolled his eyes, "Kol, I could write a book based solely on your blunders over the centuries, it would be leagues more accurate."

Camille remained rooted in her spot, looking between the bickering brothers, "Excuse me, can we go back a second? What do you mean you were _there _when I was writing his memoirs, I never saw you?"

"I was a ghost."

"You were a – what?!"

"I was dead. Now I'm not." Kol appraised her with disdain, "Honestly, aren't you supposed to be smart?"

"Hey, I – "

"Camille, those gentlemen look thirsty," interrupted Klaus, nodding towards two men standing near the other end of the bar, and Camille recognized the dismissal, stalking off with one last glare at Kol, who was barely suppressing a laugh.

"What do you say Nik, shall we have a snack?" he asked once Camille was out of earshot, sipping his bourbon.

"Stay away from her Kol, she's Marcel's girlfriend and if you go and kill her I'll never hear the end of it."

Kol frowned into his glass, "You've gone soft Nik. Since when does it matter what the underlings think?"

"Perhaps I'm simply trying my hand in diplomacy, not everyone thrives on constant chaos." Klaus smirked at the sour look on his little brother's face at that statement, as if he had just uttered a great blasphemy.

"Bloody Elijah. He's finally rubbed off on you."

Klaus snorted. "Have faith. At least I don't wear suits all the time."

Both brothers broke out into laughter though an uneasiness between them remained. "Just don't start trying to lecture me too," said Kol. "I've spent a year on the road listening to Caroline attempt to reign me in, I'd like to think I can kill and feed unrepentantly here without much grief – unless you plan on sticking a dagger in me again."

Just like that, the events of yesterday were thrown in their faces and they felt the tension rise. Klaus, for once, didn't immediately harp on his brother's words, but sipped his drink silently, his face impassive.

Kol mimicked his older brother, deciding to let him break the silence first. He took the chance to glance around the nearly empty bar, finding few people present so early in the day. The vampires were all in their homes and the few humans present were day-drinkers who had their own sorrows to worry about without bothering a couple of Original vampires – not that they were even aware of the monsters that surrounded them. A couple of college girls were giggling in a corner booth, likely skipping class for the day and Kol eyed them for a moment before turning back to his brooding brother.

"Kol –" Klaus started to say, but stopped abruptly, pressing his lips into a thin line.

Kol recognized the gesture, the thing his brother had always done when he couldn't quite get out what he wanted to say. "Why so tense, Nik?"

Klaus looked up, thrown by Kol's nonchalance. "Really?" You're going to ignore what happened?" he asked skeptically.

Kol laughed but it held no humour. "Sorry, but I never forget these things."

Klaus furrowed his brow, more confused at his brother's words. "Then what are we doing? Why are we just sitting here, drinking?" Klaus stopped suddenly again, straightening up and clenching his fist on the bar. "What's going on, Kol?"

Kol rolled his eyes disdainfully, "Christ, must you _always _be so paranoid? Relax – this is us, isn't it Nik? Daggers one day, drinks the next, isn't that just how we do things?"

Klaus stiffened but acknowledged the truth of his brother's words. Kol had always been willing to forget such incidents quicker than Elijah or Rebekah, but he knew all those years in a box weighed heavily on his brother's mind. "Daggers and drinks, you're right," he said evenly.

Kol nodded pensively. "Out of curiosity, how long were you going to keep me under? A day? A week? Months, years – forever?"

"Kol , I don't think –"

"I suppose Caroline would have put up a fuss, but if you got Bekah and Elijah on your side she probably wouldn't have been able to do much – not that she would've let the Silas thing drop, mind you, so you would've had to deal with that – "

"For God's sake –"

"But I suppose you could've just compelled her to forget everything about Silas and played the white knight while helping her with her bloodlust –"

Klaus snapped then, snarling as he shot out his arm and grabbed Kol's collar, slamming his brother's head against the bar. He knew this was how Kol retaliated, he threw out callous words to elicit a reaction, but today his barbs hit closer than Klaus would've liked to admit. "You've made your point," he hissed. "But don't presume to know my methods."

Kol just chuckled, strained though it was with his head still pressed against the wood. "I don't presume anything Nik, I've got a thousand years of experience to tell me _exactly_ what to expect from you." He grinned even as Klaus' grip tightened, his brother never could take the truth. "Ease up, would you? Surely you can take a joke."

With a huff of annoyance, Klaus let go of Kol but kept the murderous glare on his face. The other patrons were sending him odd looks, but they ducked their heads quickly as he looked around, silencing them with a glance. Camille peeked up from the other end of the bar and looked like she wanted to say something, but Klaus' glare kept her quiet and the only sound to break the silence was Kol's chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"We're never going to get anywhere hunting Silas if we continue like this," said Kol bluntly, reaching over and under the bar for the first bottle he could find.

"I never planned on keeping you daggered for long," said Klaus gruffly, avoiding all eye-contact and choosing instead to stare ahead with a stony expression. "I don't know how long I would've kept you like that for – I was angry – "

"You're always angry," said Kol, pouring both their glasses with whiskey. "But we're on the same side, for once in our lifetimes." Both brothers took a sip of their drinks, lapsing into a short silence again, before Kol broke it suddenly.

"Do you remember Paris? Back during the Revolution?"

Though the reminder of that time was random, Klaus grinned in spite of himself, looking over to see Kol staring off with an almost wistful expression on his face. "The height of the terror, blood running through the streets…"

"We killed and fed and fucked girls and never stopped to give a damn about a single thing," said Kol, his voice rife with nostalgia. "Do you remember the siege on Versailles?"

Klaus laughed to himself, the distant memory of crowds screaming ringing through his years."I remember the look on the queen's face as they dragged her past me. She recognized me from the ball just weeks earlier – I danced with her."

"I slept with her," Kol said glibly.

Klaus stared at him skeptically. "You slept with Marie Antoinette?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"Oh it's perfectly believable. Though I can only assume compulsion was involved, considering she had me in her bed first." Klaus couldn't keep the smug smile from spreading on his face while Kol rolled his eyes.

"Whatever you say," said Kol dismissively, "We both know that the real fun was in the streets."

"We did make a good team then," said Klaus thoughtfully.

Kol gulped down his drink and then turned to face his brother fully, his face suddenly serious. "One thousand years…it wasn't all bad, right?"

Klaus copied his brother's actions, mulling over the question. "It wasn't," he said finally, "but start a speech about the sanctity of family and I'll think Elijah's rubbed off on _you_"

Just like that, Kol's grin returned and his mood lightened. "You do realize we're both going to have to tell him about Silas, right?"

Klaus grimaced, "Him and Rebekah will have to be let in, they're going to pitch a fit."

"They'll have to deal with it; it's not a problem that's going to away."

"Yes, but I think they'll take some convincing on why it's _our _problem."

"Weird, isn't it? Working together for once?" Kol grinned, and hopped off the barstool. "Before we get too sentimental, we should probably check in on our favourite blonde, she'll want to be there when we tell them. And before we find _her…_" Kol trailed off, looking over towards the college girls.

"Feeling peckish are you?" asked Klaus drily.

"What do you say brother – together, for old times' sake?"

* * *

><p>Caroline coughed through the dust cloud that rose up as she tore down the old wallpaper, dropping in a heap at her feet. Her new apartment looked like a hurricane had torn through it, which was more or less an apt statement because when Caroline Forbes did something, she did it right. And if she was going to adjust to this new 'situation' then she was going to start by giving her new living space a complete makeover, preferably before Klaus destroyed too much of it in another fit of temper.<p>

Cleaning materials were strewn over nearly every surface, and as Caroline finished with the last of the wallpaper, she turned her attention to the ugly curtains in front of the French doors that led to the balcony. Gripping them tightly, she brought them down in one sharp tug, mentally thanking her vampire strength for making house chores easy. Before kicking the curtains away, she opened up the doors to get some air into the stuffy room, and stepped out onto the balcony, leaning against the wrought iron railing and looking down over Royale Street, enjoying the view of New Orleans. It really was a beautiful city.

Before she could go back inside, the odd, unmistakable feeling of being watched came over her. Holding the railing tightly, she tried to look as composed as possible while surreptitiously glancing for any more possible stalkers. Looking at the building across from her's she could've sworn she saw a flash of movement, someone ducking out of the way of the window.

'_They've been watching us…'_

Kol's words rang clear in her head just as she heard the front door open and she panicked, expecting another ambush. Flashing back inside she grabbed a broom and snapped it cleanly over her knee, raising the improvised stake just as the intruder came inside.

"Morning Sweets – what in God's name are you doing?"

Kol quirked an eyebrow as he watched Caroline heave a sigh of relief and drop her weapon, Klaus shutting the door behind him as he came in too.

"I thought I held the role of paranoid one," said Klaus drily as he looked Caroline over carefully. "Are you alright? I know last night was a bit of a trial."

"No, I'm fine, just being stupid," said Caroline, waving him off. "I just thought I saw – look, it doesn't matter."

Klaus walked closer, itching to reach out and touch her but restraining himself, mindful of Kol in the room. "It matters a great deal, Caroline, what's worrying you?"

"I was on the balcony and it felt like someone was watching me," she reluctantly admitted, regretting the words as soon as Klaus snarled and went straight to the balcony himself, searching for any sign of danger.

"Now you've done it," said Kol, sauntering closer. "He's going to post guards out here, I hope you realize that."

Caroline rolled her eyes at Klaus' actions as the hybrid came back inside and locked the doors, scowling as he took a seat on the couch. "I'll have some vampires posted close-by as soon as possible."

"No way," said Caroline immediately, "you are _not _giving me babysitters!"

"Caroline, you were attacked not twelve hours ago, don't you think that warrants caution?" asked Klaus tersely, not willing to compromise on her safety, regardless of how opposed she was.

"I'm pretty sure I sent a clear message when I _killed _them all!" Caroline shot back, her fists clenching at the unpleasant memory. It was not something she was ever going to be proud of, but at the very least, it would deter more people from coming after her.

"You don't know that it was part of something larger," insisted Klaus.

Before they could really get into it, Kol cleared his throat, looking between them with a smarmy grin. "As much as I hate to break up this lover's spat – "

(He wished he had a camera to capture the exact shade of red Caroline's face went.)

"–we need to discuss the issue at hand. What are we going to do about Silas?"

Caroline exhaled loudly, moving to sit next to Klaus (just a little closer than was probably necessary – but that meant nothing, _really_) and propped her chin up on her elbow, leaning it on her knee. "How are we going to stop him if everybody on that stupid list keeps running away? We have no clue where they're going, we have no way of tracking them."

"I suspect we'll have to get a number of witches involved," said Klaus, mentally calculating how they willing the Quarter witches would be to participate in all of this.

"I'm sure they'll be fully aboard," said Kol sarcastically, walking to the pile of ripped wallpaper and kicking at it aimlessly. "By the way, what the bloody hell happened to my apartment?"

"Uh, it's _my _apartment now, remember?" said Caroline pointedly. "If I'm going to stay in New Orleans, I'm going to need this place to look fabulous."

"As long as you _are _staying," said Klaus softly and Caroline turned to see him staring at her fondly. Quickly, he darted out his hand and squeezed her knee and she smiled back at him, appreciating his steadfast support of her. His proposition from last night was still at the forefront of her mind, and when they did actually cross that bridge – it would be hard, _very _hard, for her to pretend that there was any way they could maintain any sort of distance.

"Good god, is this going to be a constant thing?" Kol's voice pierced their small moment and before Klaus could snap at him, a dusty pillow was flung at him from Caroline, which Kol dodged with ease. "Easy Sweets!" he said, chuckling as they both glared at him. "I'm simply suggesting that you both save these lovely displays of affection for when we don't have to deal with the immortal and his crazy fans."

"Well, if we can't find any more cult members, what do we do first?" asked Caroline, looking between the two Originals.

"We have to tell Elijah and Rebekah," said Klaus, ignoring Kol's groan.

Caroline nodded along, knowing that it was an inevitable conversation. "They're not going to be happy about this, are they?" she asked Kol.

"They're going to complain and whine and do everything within their power to pretend it's not happening," said Kol derisively.

"Give them some credit," said Caroline, "they know how dangerous Silas is now."

Kol just scoffed and crossed his arms petulantly. "Doesn't mean they'll be of any good," he muttered.

Caroline sighed and stood up, "Look, we'll tell them tonight, and I guess we'll find out then."

"Why wait until tonight?" asked Klaus.

"Because now I have to get rid of this wallpaper, and you two need to go change."

Kol and Klaus exchanged confused glances before turning back to Caroline. "Why would we need to do that, love?" Klaus asked.

"Because you both have blood on your collars. What, is hunting innocents a bonding activity for you?"

"It's an Original Family thing," said Kol as he moved to leave, Klaus following after shooting her a parting grin.

"Have fun redecorating sweetheart!" he called over his shoulder.

"You know you could both help!" said Caroline over the pile of ripped wallpaper in her arms but she was met with the sound of her front door banging shut. "Stupid vampires," she muttered to herself.

* * *

><p><em><strong>JULY, 2014<br>SEATTLE, WASHINGTON**_

_Kol and Caroline sat beside each other in the small reception are of the building's lobby, casting glances at the stony faced security officer who staunchly refused to let them get past him and into the elevator to track down their target. Compulsion was quickly proved to be futile, and it was a safe bet that every single person in this building was protected somehow, whether or not they even realized it. _

"_How long are we going to wait here?" asked Caroline tiredly, running a hand through her hair. _

"_She has to come out sometime. I'm all for just killing the rent-a-cop though," said Kol with a hard glare at the man. _

"_I thought we agreed that we had to stay low-profile!" said Caroline. "Do you want to catch this one or not? The minute people start turning up dead, she runs, and _you _were the one who said we were doing things the old-fashioned way." _

_Kol was about to snap at her but a loud clatter brought their attention over to a harried looking young woman who had dropped a stack of files and was hurriedly gathering them together, muttering something about 'Ms. Jenkins' under her breath. _

"_Kol…did she just say 'Jenkins'?" Caroline asked, but before she could get an answer Kol was already striding through the lobby and was kneeling down to help the girl, charming smile plastered firmly on his face. _

"_Hey, need a hand?" _

_From her spot on the sofa, Caroline's eyes widened upon hearing his voice. Instead of the distinctive English accent she was used to, he was using a starkly different American one, sounding no different than any boy she had gone to high school with. _

"_I'm Keith," he said as he helped the woman to her feet, and she smiled back gratefully._

"_Harriet," she said with a slight stutter, clearly disarmed by the handsome stranger who had helped her and Caroline decided to intervene, quickly walking over to join the two of them. As she came to stand next to Kol, the young woman's face fell ever so slightly but Caroline painted on her most pleasant smile and tried to look reassuring. She noticed then that the girl was wearing a rather unique necklance – a clear teardrop pendant that held a distinctive purple flower crumpled up inside. Compulsion was useless; it was time to bring out the big guns. _

_Caroline's flair for the dramatic got away from her and before she could help herself, the words "Hello _darling,_ I'm Cecily," were tumbling from her mouth with polish, her voice quickly adopting the most posh English accent she could muster. _

_(What? She had seen Downton Abbey.)_

_Kol nearly broke character, weirded out as he looked but he overcame it quickly as he matched his smile to Caroline's, facing Harriet who looked between them with wide eyes. "Are you two here with an appointment?" _

"_Uh, no, but we're very interested in…environmental health," said Kol, remembering what it was that the witch actually did for a living. It made sense for a servant of nature to devote herself to helping the planet, even if it did make him roll his eyes at the heavy-handedness of it all. _

"_Actually love, we were hoping to meet with Madeline Jenkins, you wouldn't happen to know if we could get up to see her, would you? We'd just be a jiffy," added Caroline, who was feeling very pleased by her act. _

"_Oh, I'm actually her assistant!" said Harriet eagerly. "Ms. Jenkins is actually taking a short sabbatical, but if you want I can get you into contact with Mr. Churchill, he's going to be holding a conference on the preservation of the Northern British Columbia rainforests later –"_

"_Actually Harriet, we really, really need to see your boss, any chance you could give her a call and set up an appointment? Please?" Kol's voice dripped with charm, doing his damned best to cajole her into doing what he wanted. Harriet looked hesitant but turned to the reception desk and dumped her files, pulling out her cellphone. _

"_You know what, let me see if I can't find a hole in her schedule, maybe you could teleconference!" _

"_Oh jolly good!" said Caroline cheerfully, and as Harriet tapped her phone, Kol turned to face the blonde and pulled her away by the elbow. _

"_What the bloody hell are you doing?" he asked in a barely audible whisper, sounding much more like himself. _

"_I'm improvising! And in case you haven't noticed, it's working!" _

"_You sound ridiculous!"_

"_I sound great! And this way, if anyone asks Harriet later, she'll tell them that she ran into an American guy and a British girl, it'll throw people off our trail if we really are being followed."_

_Kol huffed but couldn't argue Caroline's logic, and before he could respond, Harriet was calling their names. _

"_I'm so sorry, but it looks like Ms. Jenkins isn't going to be accepting any new clients anytime soon," she said apologetically. "In fact, she specifically requested that we do nothing to contact her while she's away."_

_Caroline glanced over at Kol, who wore a small frown, and she knew they were thinking the same thing. _

"_She doesn't have a return date yet, does she?" asked Kol. _

_Harriet shook her head glumly, and Caroline sighed. "One more thing, Harriet. I love your necklace, what's the flower inside?"_

"_Oh it's vervain! You know, it was actually a Christmas present from Ms. Jenkins, she's so sweet about things like that. She loves the flower, she's insisted they plant it outside the building year-round, no exceptions."_

"_You don't say," said Caroline, sounding resigned, but Kol was pulling her along and she knew it was time for them to make their exit. "It was lovely to meet you darling!" she called out over her shoulder as they both walked out onto the busy sidewalk again, quickly making their way down the busy street. _

"_Another one bites the dust," said Caroline, back to her natural accent. "How do they always know that we're coming? We've been getting more and more careful!"_

"_Well, I'm sure wherever they are, they're having a 'jolly' time outwitting us," said Kol drily. "And please, for the love of all that is good and holy, don't ever try that again."_

_Caroline gasped at him indignantly. "Hey, that was golden!"_

"_That was rubbish, sorry to say. Maybe consider taking lessons?" Kol grinned as he heard her growl lightly, and laughed as she punched him in the arm. _

"_Lessons, puh-lease, I was a drama major!"_

* * *

><p>The bar was much busier at during the late evening, all manner of supernatural creatures having come out of the woodwork to have a good time. Klaus, Kol and Caroline sat around a booth that was neatly tucked away in a corner, avoiding the prying stares of Camille as well as some of the other vampires who were casting suspicious glances in their direction, only to be cowed as soon as Klaus caught their eye.<p>

"How many vampires live in this city?" asked Caroline quietly, surprised at how big the crowd appeared to be.

"A large amount," said Klaus with pride. "We built this city to be a haven for the supernatural."

"While I was in a coffin," muttered Kol with irritation.

"Shut up, I let you out. And need I remind you that the first thing you did was run away to Europe?" Klaus asked.

"Well it was much more interesting over there, as we were discussing," said Kol with a dark grin.

Caroline watched them bicker, alluding to a past she knew she was better off staying in the dark about, for now anyway. Before they could continue for much longer, two bodies slipped into the booth and she looked up to see a fairly irritated Rebekah and a stony-faced Elijah staring at the three of them.

"Alright, we're here," said Rebekah with a sniff. "Care to explain why we're wasting our time?"

"Why, have a new suitor waiting on you?" asked Kol drily, then turning to Elijah. "What about you, big brother? Waiting to slip out to the bayou?"

Elijah wrinkled his nose ever so slightly, and Caroline took it as the only sign they would get that he was rankled by his brother's words. Rebekah on the other hand made no secret of her displeasure, looking ready to jump across the table and rip out her brother's throat.

"Listen you little git, _you _called _us _here, so it would be lovely if you could _get to the point._"

Kol narrowed his eyes at Rebekah, leaning back against the leather seat. "You know what would really be lovely, Bekah? If all the surviving members of my family hadn't conspired to have me killed not a day earlier, but we can't always get what we want, can we?" he asked disdainfully.

"Let's not get off topic," said Elijah quickly. "May I assume you two have decided to break your silence?" he stared at Kol and Caroline pointedly, causing the latter to squirm slightly, though Kol remained unaffected, more than used to his brother's tactics.

"We have in fact," said Kol, sounding too bored for the situation. "You can ask Nik."

"They told me everything," Klaus confirmed with a small nod.

"Well that's brilliant, care to fill us in?" asked Rebekah, miffed to be out of the loop.

Caroline leant forward on the table and toyed with her daylight ring, looking over at Kol hesitantly. He sat up straight and looked between his brother and sister grimly. "You two might want to get comfortable. It's a long story."

Twenty minutes later, the four vampires and the hybrid sat in a stunned silence. Rebekah kept opening and closing her mouth, unable to decide on what she wanted to say, while Elijah simply pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't understand," said Rebekah finally. "I don't understand how you could possibly decide to just keep news like this to yourselves! What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that the threat of Silas wasn't enough to get either of you to do much about him last time around," said Kol with a sneer. "Silas came to Mystic Falls and what did you do? You cared more about that precious cure and living a pathetically _human _life, so excuse me for thinking you'd be any use this time around."

Rebekah growled under her breath, "Silas stole the cure from me, he took away my chance at being a human again, how could you think I wouldn't want revenge for that?"

"Revenge on the world's oldest and most powerful warlock, oh I'm sure that would go over well."

"I'm an _Original!"_ Rebekah hissed, slamming her hand down on the table.

"And a fat lot of good that will do you," said Kol with a scoff, turning towards Klaus. "Or has Nik not told you what happened to him at Silas' mercy?"

Klaus and Caroline both stiffened of the memory of that long afternoon, Silas' mind tricks completely putting Klaus through the ringer. Elijah finally looked up and stared down his brother, casting his mind back to those days just before they had left for New Orleans. Silas had played his fair share of tricks on all of them but Klaus – Klaus has endured the worst of it.

"How exactly did Silas get in your head?" asked Elijah curiously, realizing now that perhaps he should've pressed for more details all that time ago. His brother's reticence was all but legendary, but this was something that he should've known.

"It doesn't matter now," said Klaus, dismissing the matter entirely. "He got in, but he was just playing mind tricks, I managed to shake him off." He shot a quick glance towards Caroline (was that a smile on her face?) but quickly steered the topic back to the matter at hand. "The bottom line is, I'm not about to let his fanclub resurrect him."

"How very noble-minded of you," said Elijah, raising an eyebrow in skepticism.

"I never would've thought you so adamant to play hero," said Rebekah to Kol. "What's in it for you?"

"Must there be a gain? Perhaps I'd simply like to avoid bedlam descending upon the entire world, isn't that reason enough?"

Kol, for the first time in a long time, was being perfectly sincere, so no matter how weird it was to her, Rebekah decided to accept that answer for now before turning towards Kol's partner in crime. "And what about _you?"_

"What about me?" asked Caroline, a little indignantly. "Silas was an asshole, he nearly killed _everybody, _the stuff he did to my friends was _so _fucked up, of course I don't want that again!"

"So where are they then?" asked Rebekah with a catlike smile, knowing she had found a weak spot. "Your loyal friends, the old gang from Mystic Falls, isn't this goody-two shoes nonsense right up their alley?"

Caroline was now sitting up completely straight, doing her best to keep herself completely composed, thought Rebekah's words had hit a little too close to the mark. "They're just – they've got things going on. I decided to do this myself," she said, just a little too quietly to be properly convincing.

Rebekah wasn't convinced by the thin excuse either but before she could tear into Caroline's response, Kol had narrowed his eyes at his little sister and was cutting her off. "Enough of this prattle, we need to decided what to do next."

"Like we even know what that involves?" asked Caroline rubbing her temples. "We went to every location on that stupid map, we found nothing, we found that stupid list, but even that's useless – what, is someone just going to walk in and give us a clue?"

"_Oh my God_! Keith? Cecily? Is that you?"

Caroline's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "No. _No way_. Not possible."

Kol and Caroline snapped their heads up and turned to see a beaming Harriet, Madeline Jenkins' assistant from Seattle, standing not five feet away from their table.

Caroline's mouth hung open in shock before she felt herself practically being shoved out of the booth as Kol pushed past her and stood, pulling her up to stand right next to him.

"Hey, Harriet, right? It's great to see you again!"

Kol easily slipped into his American accent and his smirk caused a blush to rise on the young woman's cheeks. Harriet giggled, any shyness having been long eradicated if the cosmopolitan in her hand was an indication. "I remember you guys from – what was it, six months ago? – how weird is it that you're here?"

"Oh it's been much too long, _darling_," said Caroline airily, drawing out the word _'daaahling' _in a way that she thought was perfectly authentic, and even if it wasn't, poor, tipsy Harriet certainly wasn't going to pick up on it.

Behind them, Rebekah looked towards her brothers, their looks of confusion matching hers. "Do either of you have any clue what they're doing?" she asked them, bewildered, but they just shook their heads, and continued to watch.

"So Harriet, what are you doing here?" asked Kol, gently taking Harriet by the elbow and steering her into a corner of the bar where they would have some modicum of privacy, nodding for Caroline to follow.

"I'm here for a week, Ms. Jenkins wanted me to personally deliver some files to one of her business associates, it was _veeery _important that _I _deliver it personally." Harriet giggled as Kol and Caroline cornered her, not even realizing what she was telling them.

Caroline reached over and grabbed Kol's arm, her face lighting up in a grin. "Harriet, who did you deliver the files to?" she asked the girl carefully

Harriet stiffened suddenly. "A business associate," she said evenly, her eyes glassy as she stared at them unblinkingly. Something was suddenly very wrong, the chipper young girl from moments before seemed to have melted away, leaving this still statue in her place.

"Tell us where this 'associate' is," demanded Kol, his voice hard as steel.

"It was just a business associate," said Harriet again, her voice flat.

"Fuck," Kol swore under his breath. "She's not going to be able to give us anything."

"But – this isn't compulsion, it can't be," said Caroline peering into Harriet's eyes. "Can witches spell people into secrecy?"

"Don't ever underestimate what a driven witch with a secret can do," said Kol darkly before finally coming to a decision. "I've had enough of this nonsense, let's just do what we should've done months ago." With that, Kol wrapped his hand around the vervain pendant Harriet wore and before Caroline could stop him, he had ripped it from her neck.

"Was that necessary?" asked Caroline exasperatedly, noting the small trickle of blood where Harriet's necklace had dug into her skin as Kol had torn it off.

"Oh this is much better," he said with a smirk, then leaned forward to look the girl in the eye. "Alright darling, tell us everything you know about this mystery business your boss has you on."

"She – she…" But whatever the truth was, it was lost to the sudden coughing fit that overcame the young woman, and she brought a hand up to cover her mouth, shrieking when she pulled it away and realized it was covered in blood.

"Harriet!" Caroline lurched forward just as the girl's body slumped forward, racked with another coughing fit, only the spasms were much too violent to be natural. "What the hell is happening to her?!" she asked, panicked, looking up at Kol who for once looked to be at a complete loss for words.

Desperate, Caroline sank her fangs into her wrist and held it over Harriet's mouth, but the poor girl was having none of it, her body fighting until it finally went limp, her eyes blank and lifeless. "Oh my god," muttered Caroline to herself. "She just – what happened?!"

Kol looked between the dead girl in Caroline's arms and to the necklace in his hand. "This was was that witch's insurance policy, so that no one, especially not a vampire, would ever figure out what she was up to. It would seem innocent lives are small collateral to these people," he said grimly. "But we knew that. They've been willing to kill themselves off, they'll obviously kill others to keep their secret."

"What in God's name happened here?" Elijah's voice interrupted their confusion and he stood over Caroline with Klaus and Rebekah at his side. "Did you two do this?"

"For God's sake Elijah, this wasn't us," snapped Kol, throwing the necklace to his brother. "She died the minute that necklace came off, see if you can't speak to one of the Quarter witches and reverse engineer the spell, maybe it can tell us about the woman who cast it. More specifically, her whereabouts."

Elijah gave his brother a searching look, but ultimately decided he was telling the truth. "I'll see if Celeste or the others can shed some insight," he said before turning on his heel, Rebekah following him.

"What are we going to do with Harriet?" asked Caroline sadly, looking down at the body. She hadn't known her at all, but always felt sympathy for the ones who ended up being pawns in the larger game, nothing more than collateral damage.

(How close had she come to being the same thing?)

"Here, I'll take her," said Kol, scooping up the body. "Nik, is there a back way out of here?"

Klaus nodded stiffly, pointing towards the direction of the back kitchen. "Take her through there, there's a door that leads out into a side-alley. Can you find your way to a cemetery without being seen by the humans?"

"I'm hurt that you have to ask," said Kol, and he gave a quick parting nod to Caroline before flashing away, the entire bar none too wrapped up in their own world to even notice.

Caroline let out a shuddering breath, still on her knees where she had caught Harriet's body. A warm hand on her shoulder brought her back to the present, and she closed her eyes tightly, taking one deep breath and stamping down the panic and grief inside her. This was not the time or place. In a flash she was on her feet, her face a mask of perfect composure as she looked up at Klaus, but the skepticism in his eyes told her he didn't buy her act for a second.

"Caroline, I know that must have been rather –"

"Don't," she said, not unkindly, but firmly. "I didn't know her at all. It was sad that she died, but – it's what happens, right?"

Klaus bit back a retort, knowing that any condolence out of his mouth would be a trite lie. It _was _what happened. People died, they got caught in the crossfire, he himself had been responsible for enough innocent deaths to know that much. So he opted instead for saying nothing, simply keeping close to Caroline as they both turned to walk through the bar and start on their way home. Or at least, they would have been had Caroline not frozen next to him, her hand shooting out to grab his arm, as she suddenly craned her neck to search through the crowd of vampires.

"What wrong?" he asked, on edge immediately.

Caroline sighed in frustration and eased her posture, shaking her head. "God, sorry I thought I saw someone watching me, but obviously I'm becoming a paranoid nut, ignore me."

But Klaus wasn't about to ignore her, not after the ambush yesterday or her suspicions that someone was watching her earlier today. Instead, he grasped her hand firmly and pulled her out of the bar and onto the sidewalk where he quickly scanned the street for any sign of someone ducking out of sight, into the shadows. However, he found nothing.

"Klaus – Klaus!" Caroline snapped her fingers in front of his face to bring his attention back on her. "Look, it's probably nothing, I'm just on edge."

"But how do you know it's nothing?" asked Klaus tersely. "You were attacked yesterday!"

"That was a one time thing!"

"You can't know that!" Klaus insisted.

Caroline sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "Look, it's been a busy night, I'm just going to go home."

"I'll walk you," Klaus said immediately, softening at her scoff.

"Seriously? I'm a big girl; I think I can make it home by myself."

"Nevertheless, I'd rather the vampires here got used to seeing you by my side," said Klaus, smirking as he tucked Caroline's arm in the crook of his elbow and smirking triumphantly when she didn't pull it away. They started down the street, side by side and Klaus found that this was something he could definitely get used to.

"God, again with the alpha-male crap?" she asked sarcastically. "Good to know some things never change."

* * *

><p>Strolling down St. Ann Street, Marcel took the time to enjoy the sounds of the city that poured out from the buildings, the life and heartbeat of the city thrumming like a steady beat. As he walked, a figure fell into step next to him, saying nothing for a moment, until finally breaking his silence.<p>

"They were at Rousseau's tonight," said the stranger, reaching into his jacket for a pack of cigarettes and lighting one up. "They were talkin' to Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah – it looked serious. Then this chick showed up, called them the wrong names but they looked like they knew her. Took her over to a corner and I couldn't see what happened but she just dropped dead. Fuckin' weird."

"But do you have any clue what they're up to?" asked Marcel harshly. "I need to know what their gameplan is."

"Look, I don't got a clue," said the stranger, "But I can tell you that the blonde bitch thinks she's bein' watched and Klaus don't like it."

"Well then, you're just going to have to be more careful in the future, aren't you?" said Marcel sternly and the stranger got the message.

Together, they continued down the street while Marcel went over everything he knew. Slowly, he was putting together a plan – but it would need to be perfect. It would need to be foolproof.

And one way or another – it would have to get him back _his _city.

_Ah, what if I'm far from home?  
>Oh, brother, I will hear you call.<br>What if I lose it all?  
>Oh, sister, I will help you out!<br>Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you  
>There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do.<em>

* * *

><p><strong>And like Caroline, I really need to get some sleep. Please do leave a review and let me know what you think, definitely feel free to ask any questions, and I'll see you all in the next one!<strong>

**Chapter title and song lyrics are from 'Hey Brother' by Avicii. **

**(Feel free to follow me on tumblr at hummingbirds-and-champagne)**


	7. Glory and Gore

**Author's Note: Hello from the dead! After a month of six term papers totalling over 65,000 words, four exams and a boatload of stress, I have finally completed my Bachelor's Degree! Many, many apologies for the time it took me to update, and I hope you're all still here for this chapter, which has been a labour of love after all those essays. Read and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I just graduated university, I'm too broke to own anything.**

* * *

><p><em>There's a humming in the restless summer air<br>And we're slipping off the course that we prepared  
>But in all chaos, there is calculation<br>Dropping glasses just to hear them break_

_**SALEM, OREGON  
>JULY 2014<strong>_

_Caroline kicked a can down the deserted street, flinching slightly when the noise punctured the silence that lay over the city. The late hour meant empty roads and a thankful lack of people, which suited her just fine. God knows she needed the solitude. _

_Things had been tense, and it was only getting worse between her and Kol. Since leaving Seattle a few days earlier, the weight of their failures was settling on both of them, and the fear was starting to set in, the fear that this was something they couldn't achieve. Caroline hadn't been a vampire for long – she was still a newborn, especially compared to Kol, but for as long as she had been a part of the supernatural world, she had been thrown from danger to danger. Wolves, hybrids, crazy immortal warlocks had come and gone and she had kept coming out on top – it was enough to make anyone think they were invincible. _

_But this was different. This wasn't drinks at the Salvatore mansion, plotting who would go where when the big showdown came. This was a long game, one with no rules and no clear end in sight. She and Kol might as well have been chasing ghosts for all the progress they had made, and all they had managed to do was slowly realize just how big and prepared the followers of Silas were. City after city, in every small town they had visited, they weren't getting any closer to stopping them and she was all for keeping her spirits high – she was Caroline Forbes after all – but the same couldn't be said for the Original vampire, who for all his bravado was starting to crack, ever so slightly. He was still an arrogant jackass for the world to see but spend every day for five months with a person and you learn a few things. _

_More specifically, you learn to see when bravado is just a mask for fear. _

_Caroline huffed and kicked the can again, looking up and down the deserted street. She seriously questioned her motives for even being out so late, but her cramped hotel room was making her antsy. Kol had been weirdly sullen for the past day or so, so she hadn't even bothered knocking on his door, but she hoped he would get over it soon because being stuck in a car for hours on end with a moody Original was not what she had signed up for._

_Before she could decide what she wanted to do, a faint sound caught her attention, labored breathing and – a whimper? Someone was in pain and Caroline stiffened, focusing her senses as carefully as she could. Blindly relying on her instincts she started down the street, following the sounds until she came to the mouth of a small alleyway where she was met with the sight of two dark figures against the brick wall, and if Caroline was anyone else, she would've turned immediately from what looked like two people in an intimate embrace. _

_But Caroline was a vampire – and this was hardly intimate. _

"_Get off her!" She flung herself at one of the shadowy figures but they were much stronger and she found herself staggering back, fangs bared and ready to attack. She righted herself immediately and prepared to take out whoever it was but froze when she realized the familiar head of dark hair. _

"_What the fuck Kol?!" She stepped back and took in the sight of the Original who was grinning at her darkly, The blood smeared across his jaw gave him no pause as he straightened and dragged the back of his hand across his face, taking the worst of it off but doing nothing to rid himself of his sneer. _

"_Really Darling, interrupting a meal is such bad form." _

_Before Caroline could think of a response, she was brought back to Kol's victim, a young girl who judging from her uniform was the waitress in the small bar across the street. In a flash she had ripped her fangs into her own wrist and was kneeling by the girl but to no avail, the damage was done. Caroline let out a ragged breath and drew her hand over the young girl's face, closing her eyes and shutting her own for just a second before jolting up to her feet again. _

"_What are you doing?" she called after Kol, but he was already sauntering away, and Caroline felt the tension in her rise and snap, boiling over until before she even knew what she was doing, she stood in front of him. "You can't just walk away like that!" she hissed in his face. Maybe if it had been another day she would've stood back just a bit, kept her thoughts to herself. If it was another day, she would've realized that instead of simply rolling his eyes and laughing in her face like he usually did, Kol's eyes were as cold as ice and his expression had hardened in a way that was terrifyingly reminiscent of his older brothers'. _

"_Caroline," he said slowly, drawing out her name patronizingly, "I realize this is something that is difficult for you to comprehend, but this is what I do. Now get out of my way." He pushed past her roughly, but she grabbed his arm and pulled him back. _

"_You don't just get to take some unwilling girl's life and –"_

_Kol's loud laugh cut her off. "Unwilling?" he sneered. "Sorry darling, but that little bird was perfectly _willing_. She certainly wasn't complaining when I was fucking her." _

_Caroline's hand moved before she could think and a resounding SLAP hung in the cool night air. They stood facing each other, perfectly still as Caroline realized just what she had done, but she couldn't bring herself to care, because all that ran through her head were those dark, dark memories of a time not so very long ago when she was just a sex toy and a blood bag, good for nothing else to a vampire with a charming smirk and cold eyes. Just thinking about it compounded her anger further and when Kol turned his head towards her again, the red mark on his face fading, she raised her hand one more time but this time Kol was faster and had her wrist in a vice grip. _

"_Not smart Sweets," he spat, his grip getting tighter and tighter until he jerked it roughly and she could clearly hear the sound of her wrist snapping, not able to hold in a sharp scream. Kol released her hand and she cradled it, glaring at him hatefully. _

"_What. The fuck, Is wrong with you?" _

_Kol stared at her for a long moment, his stance rigid. "You can't be surprised. All this time, just what did you think I was doing when I wanted blood?" _

_Caroline said nothing but broke his stare. She wasn't an idiot, she knew what he had been doing, she'd even stopped him once. But that had seemed like an abstract concept when it wasn't facing her, when she couldn't smell the blood, see the carnage._

_Bile rose in her throat as she realized what she had just admitted to herself. She only cared when she was forced to. _

"_Ah, not so violent now, are we?" Kol's voice was scathing and Caroline forced herself to meet his eyes again. _

"_At least I don't hurt – I don't _want _to hurt – "_

"_Don't try that, darling, not with me. You and I both know you're hardly a paragon of innocence these days." Kol's accusations were cutting and Caroline couldn't form the reply she wanted. She wasn't innocent – she had enough blood on her hands to prove it. _

'I'm a monster, I'm a monster, I'm a monster…'

_The mantra pounded through her head and as much as she tried to ignore it, it was no use. The air was suddenly too thin, the silence was overwhelming and she couldn't stand to look at Kol any longer so she did the only thing she could think of. She ran._

* * *

><p>"You know, you could call first." Caroline rolled her eyes as Klaus sauntered into her apartment, <em>way<em> too early for her liking. "I spent an entire year on a road trip; I'd like to be able to sleep in once in a while."

"The early bird gets the worm," said Klaus airily as he walked over to the kitchen island, placing a small blue cooler on the counter and surveying the room.

"Seriously? Pretty sure that line is almost as old as you are," said Caroline with a huff, trying not to brush by him too closely as she started up her coffee maker. It was to no avail, however, she was minutely aware of his nearness and her sleep ruffled appearance, and she tried to seem as nonchalant as possible as she ran a hand through her tangled hair.

For his part, Klaus kept his lips pressed tightly together and gripped the counter as he forced himself to keep himself in check as he watched Caroline closely. Her clothes were the same as they had been a few nights ago, still showing off enough skin to have him on the verge of begging her for more. If he truly wanted, it would barely be a second before he had her perched on the counter right in front of him, her long legs wrapped around his waist…

"Klaus – helloo, earth to hybrid!" Klaus snapped himself out of his stupor to find Caroline watching him, holding out the now full pot of coffee.

"Sorry love, just admiring your handiwork," he said as smoothly as he could, looking around the refurbished apartment. "You've done good work in such a short amount of time."

Caroline grinned proudly as she sipped her coffee, "Yeah, well, I had some help. The _babysitters _you gave me proved surprisingly good at painting walls."

Klaus growled slightly, a flash of irritation going through him. "I positioned those vampires to protect you, they should be watching for potential attacks, not interior decorating."

"Please, I know how to get people organized. Miss Mystic Falls, remember?" she said, bumping his shoulder lightly, uncaring of the grumpy look on his face. "Besides, I already told you I don't need anybody watching me, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I'll be having words with them later," said Klaus firmly, ignoring Caroline's annoyed sigh. Catching sight of the blue cooler, he remembered the reason for his early morning visit, and cleared his throat. "I brought what I promised you," he said, bringing the cooler in front of them and opened it up to reveal several neatly stacked blood bags. "I'm not B-positive, sorry to say."

Caroline set down her mug and looked between the blood bags and Klaus, slightly dazed by the lengths he was going through for her benefit. "Klaus, this is – I don't know what to say."

"Thank me when you feel in control of the bloodlust," he replied, "and do let me know if you'd ever like to get some straight from the _source_." His lips twisted into a smirk as he watched a red flush spread over her cheeks, and she broke eye contact, gulping nervously. Taking a chance, he leant down and whispered in her ear, "The offer is _always _open."

Caroline took a gulp of air, feeling the rush of his breath over her ear, the low timbre of his voice causing goosebumps to rise over skin. The memories of their day in the forest one year ago bombarded her mind and it wasn't hard to imagine that taking him up on his offer almost guaranteed a repeat performance.

She wondered if she should bring it up, it had to be weird that they hadn't really talked about it, right? Forcing herself to look up at Klaus (and trying her hardest to ignore the hungry look in his eyes) she cast around for the right words. Unfortunately, there was no easy way to say 'Hey, remember that time we spent an entire day having sex in the woods?'

"Do you – uh – remember that day in Mystic Falls, in the woods, when we – you know?"

Klaus raised an eyebrow and Caroline has to force herself to look away from his lips, which pull into a wolfish smile. "Do I remember ravishing you for hours? Sweetheart, I'd be a fool to let a second of that escape my memory. If you recall, I was fairly certain I'd never be setting foot in Mystic Falls again."

Caroline bit her lip and nodded, remembering the promise she forced out of him. "You were a man of your word," she remarked lightly, "to be honest, I didn't expect you to be."

"At that point love, I knew that if we were ever going to have a chance, you would have to come to me," he said, frowning slightly. He looked her over, mulling over his next question and Caroline got the sense that he was holding something back so she smiled encouragingly.

"What is it? Just say it."

"Very well – you could've come here. I would've done everything within my power to protect you, you know that."

Caroline set the mug of coffee down on the counter, not liking the direction this had gone. Those days after she had escaped from Augustine had driven her to that clearing in the woods where Kol had found her, and it had taken a mission against the end of the world and an entire year to get her to stop reliving what had happened, and she did _not _want to go back now. Her mind is revolting against the upsurge of memories and it's only when she realizes that there's something foreign touching her, does she come out of her trance to realize that Klaus is holding her left hand in a vice grip, staring down at her with a mix of anger and concern.

"You were doing it again. You keep doing it," he said, frustrated.

"Doing what?" asked Caroline, a little disoriented by his abrupt mood shift.

"Your daylight ring, you keep playing with it."

"So what, it's just a stupid habit," she muttered defensively, pulling her hand away.

"Not one you used to have," he fired back and Caroline winced, not counting on how closely he used to observe her to pick up on such little details.

"Drop it, Klaus," she said, trying to make her demand sound as final as she could. "Just let it go, we have more important things to worry about."

"Caroline, you can't just – "

But whatever she could or could not do would have to wait as the sharp rap of knuckles on the door alerted them to another guest, and it wasn't hard to imagine whom. Sure enough, the door swung open a moment later and Kol's familiar grin widened upon seeing them both.

"Oh I do hope I'm interrupting something," he said cheekily, ignoring his older brother's glare.

"Nope, nothing at all, we're just – chatting," said Caroline, making an exaggerated attempt to be casual and failing miserably. Klaus offered up no explanation, simply staring Caroline down while she avoided his gaze and so Kol was left to draw his own conclusions, noticing the cooler of blood on the counter and his eyes widened in a brief flicker of surprise as he put two and two together.

"Is that why you were off at the hospital last night?" Kol asked Klaus, who nodded stiffly in response. "Well then Moneypenny, I suppose your days of murderous rampages are coming to an end. Shame, those instincts of yours really came in handy." Kol looked almost wistful at the memories but his nostalgia only earned him a scoff from the blonde and a low growl from Klaus.

"This is _not _something to joke about, Kol," said Klaus slowly, wishing his brother hadn't interrupted their morning.

"Let's focus on what's important," said Caroline hurriedly, eager to change the subject. Klaus looked like he wanted to argue with her, but she focused on the younger Original who had pulled out a small card from his pocket.

"Keycard to a room at the Hotel Provincial, pulled off dear Harriet before I got rid of her body."

Caroline flinched, "What did you do to her?" she asked warily.

"Buried her out near the bayou, no one will find the body," said Kol with a careless shrug. "Nothing to worry about."

"She shouldn't have died," said Caroline, frowning deeply. An innocent girl, in over her head and ending up as collateral damage – it hit too close to home. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she barely noticed Kol talking in front of her.

"…so we should probably get going now, what do you say, Sweets? Caroline?"

Caroline shook herself out of her stupor, "Uh sorry, go over that last part?" she said sheepishly.

Kol looked her over suspiciously, "I was saying that she might have left something in her hotel room – something we can use to find out what the bloody hell the cult's doing in New Orleans."

"What makes you think they're 'doing' anything? Maybe they just live here, isn't this place supposed to be, like, supernatural central or something?" asked Caroline, glancing at Klaus, who wore a small smile.

Kol shook his head, the gears in his mind clearly turning. "I thought so too, but there're too many of them concentrated in one place, it breaks their pattern."

"Right," said Caroline, catching on. "There was never more than one of them in any place we went to, but the list we found in New York said there were at least a few of them all here, specifically. Which means – "

"That they must have a specific reason. A reason that required the witch from Seattle to send out her personal assistant," said Kol with a wide grin. "So, we pay the dead girl's room a visit – "

"And maybe we find something that explains what's going on!" said Caroline excitedly, her mind in overdrive as she smacked the countertop happily. Kol's grin matched hers, while Klaus looked between them, eyebrows raised.

"Cute. Did you two practice that while you were on the road?" He sounded distinctly disgruntled and Caroline rolled her eyes, taking the cooler and stocking the blood bags in the fridge.

"Daily," she said sarcastically. "We were one hell of a show."

* * *

><p><em>Caroline ran through the deserted streets of the city, skidding around corners and paying no attention to where she was going. <em> _All she knew was that she wanted as much space between her and Kol as possible, but she didn't think far past that. What this meant for their quest she didn't know, but she sure as hell didn't give a damn in that moment. All she wanted was to get far, far away. _

_After turning the tenth corner, she finally stopped running, rubbing her still sore wrist. The snap had been clean but it already felt stronger and she sent up a silent prayer for the speed of vampire healing. Looking around her, she realized she was in a part of the city she didn't recognize and not a soul was in sight. Not one, single person. Caroline tensed suddenly, realizing how wrong that was. Even in the dead of night there should have been some sign of life, a hint that there was someone out there but as she stood in the middle of the road she became painfully aware how alarmingly quiet everything had gone. There wasn't a single car engine or footstep to be heard, and Caroline felt like kicking herself for not realizing sooner that something was very, very wrong. _

_Taking a deep breath, she pulled out her phone, intent on finding directions back towards the hotel, but as she tapped the screen, the air grew colder; the wind picked up and played with a few errant strands of her hair. It was completely out of place for a warm summer's night, but the shiver that ran through her was intimately familiar. After all this time, Caroline knew the signs of magic. _

"_Just stay calm," she muttered to herself, "No need to panic." _

"_I wouldn't say that." _

_Caroline's eyes widened and she turned but barely got a glimpse of whomever had spoken before a searing pain shot through her head, as if vervain was searing its way through her brain. She sunk to her knees, clutching her head, but the pain didn't let up and she could barely bring herself to stand, let alone fight off her attacker. Her vision was hazy, but she could make out the dark silhouette of someone approaching her, and she struggled to stay alert as they stood over her. _

"_You've been in our way," her attacker spoke, a young man from what she could hear. His voice was sharp, and the pain intensified for a moment before finally dying down, leaving Caroline wrecked and exhausted, struggling to stand up as the warlock stood in front of her. She managed to look up and was met with a set of cruel eyes that didn't match the young face, his sneer growing as he reached into behind him and pulled out a long, sharp stake. _

"_The First Immortal will rise again, with or without the Original's help," he said coldly. Raising his arm above his head he poised the stake over her heart and she scrambled to get out of the way but the pain cut through her again, a scream tearing its way out of her throat and she was pinned on the ground, The realization struck her; there was no way out of this. _

"_Oi!"_

_The warlock faltered, just for a moment, and Caroline's head cleared a little, leaving her able to look up just in time to see the stake be ripped away by a dark figure that stood across from the warlock. _

"_Kol?!" _

_Kol smirked, looking her over for any life threatening injuries, his smile widening upon finding none. "I know we had a spat Sweets, but I'm hurt that you wouldn't invite me to the party. Now you," he pointed the stake at the warlock, "I hear you're involved in the little club we're tracking down?" _

_The warlock clenched his fists before straightening and raising his hands. Kol grimaced and gritted his teeth, his entire body starting to shake. Caroline could see that though he was trying very, very hard to fight it, the pain was excruciating and she struggled to lift herself up from the cement. _

"_You can't kill me," yelled Kol, even as the magic intensified and he found himself on his knees. It took every ounce of willpower to keep his back straight so that he could stare the warlock down, chancing a glance at Caroline who was still on the ground, struggling to stand. He didn't want to admit it, even just to himself, but this looked very, very bad for them. _

"_You won't win. He won't come back," said Kol spitefully and the pain flared, wind screeching around them as the warlock stared him down with hate. _

"_You can't stop us," said the warlock, his voice as hard as steel. "We _will _succeed!" His voice strained with effort and Kol couldn't manage to keep himself straight the force of the white hot burning forcing him to convulse and he crashed forward, bracing himself on his elbows, his thoughts scrambling until he was sure he was going to black out. _

_But then it all stopped._

_Gasping for breath Kol looked up. The streets were quiet again, save for the ragged breaths of Caroline. As he felt his strength return, he snapped to his feet and took in the welcome sight of the warlock crumpled on the ground. And standing right behind his body was Caroline, her hand holding a heart._

* * *

><p>The walk to the Hotel Provincial wasn't too long, but even in the bright daylight Caroline couldn't help but shoot a glance over her shoulder every now and then. One year on a wild goose chase after crazy powerful witches had made her incredibly paranoid, she realized. Even though she had two Originals by her side, it couldn't stop her from wondering if the eyes of the Quarter's vampires were on her, watching her, just waiting for an opportunity to attack.<p>

Thinking about the vampires led to thinking about how much they must all hate her by now. She was the stranger who rolled into the city and committed massacres, killing people left, right and center, and clearly these vampires were a close knit community, especially if they were looking for revenge like the ambush had been the other night.

"Hey Klaus," she asked, "Who was Josh?"

"What's that love?" he asked, turning towards her. "Josh?"

"Yeah, Josh. When those vampires attacked me, they told me that 'It was for Josh' – the guy who helped Davina capture me, and they were really, _really _angry. So who was he? Someone important?"

Klaus snorted derisively, "Hardly, just some boy. He was working with Marcel for ages; I think he and the little witch were friends." Turning towards Caroline, he gave her a reassuring smile. "Put it out of your mind sweetheart, no one else is going to come after you."

"Considering he got himself killed by locking himself in a room with a starving Augustine vampire, I'd say this was simply a case of natural selection at work," said Kol, winking at some tourist girls passing by. "Why do you even care?"

Caroline said nothing for a moment, mulling over the young man she had mauled to death a few days ago. Not that she had _wanted _to – but she had been _starving, _she didn't have a choice…

At least, that's what she told herself. Whatever lie got her to overlook the fact that he and Harriet and everybody else who had the misfortune to be in the wrong place working with the wrong people ended up as random casualties in a long war that no one could guess the end of.

'_Just like I almost was.'_

"Please don't tell me you're experiencing residual guilt over that prat," said Kol, as she remained silent, "I'd have thought you'd gotten used to it by now."

Caroline frowned at the callous words but he didn't notice as they came towards their destination, a large white building with French windows and green shutters, beautiful and quaint. Kol swung open the front door as Klaus and Caroline walked through, their shoes clicking on the checkered tile floor. While Kol went up to speak to the receptionist, Caroline let herself admire the old French décor, before feeling the warmth of Klaus joining her by her side.

"If anyone's a prat, it's my brother," said Klaus in a low voice. "Are you really feeling guilty?"

"Not as much as I probably should be," said Caroline with a sigh, but before Klaus could probe her further, Kol was calling them down a hallway.

A few minutes later, the keycard Kol had found admitted them into one of the hotel's suites. "I'll say this about Jenkins," said Kol, looking around the room, "she may have been willing to use her personal assistant as a disposable messenger but at least the girl was travelling in style."

"You can admire her taste later, what exactly are we looking for?" asked Klaus, striding in with Caroline on his heels.

"A clue!" said Caroline, rolling her eyes at the bored looks they shot her. "Don't look at me like that, it's not like I'm trained at this," she muttered defensively as they each turned to take a corner of the suite. Despite their best efforts however, there was nothing to find, it was as if the entire place had been stripped bare.

"Perhaps the maids have already been in," said Kol with a huff as he got up from checking under the bed.

"It doesn't make sense though, this place is spotless," said Caroline as she opened up the closet doors to find it completely empty. "Wait – where's her suitcase?"

The three looked at each other before glancing around the room once again. "No maid would touch a guest's suitcase," said Klaus, "If it's missing that means somebody's been in here to take it."

"And everything else of note too," snarled Kol, slamming his hand into the brick fireplace in frustration. "_Damn _them! How are they always one step ahead?" He pulled his fist back again and slammed it back against the wall, causing the entire room to shake, and the painting that had barely missed his wrath clattered to the floor.

"Seriously, Kol?" Caroline muttered as she watched him pace around angrily. She looked towards Klaus for help but the hybrid was no less perturbed, though he chose for once to keep his temper in check. A loud crash sounded through the room and Caroline whirled around to see the shattered pieces of a lamp lying on the floor, with Kol reaching for a chair and she flashed over to him, grabbing his arms and keeping them in an iron grip as she tried to calm him down.

"Hey – hey! Look at me, listen to me, this isn't helping anything!"

He could've thrown her off at any moment and she guessed it was a good sign that he wasn't trying to, though the hard clench of his jaw told her he was fuming. "How much longer are we going to do this?" he asked harshly. "How long are we going to stay in the dark?"

"Hopefully not much longer." They both turned towards Klaus' voice, finding him standing over the fallen painting, running his fingers over the back binding. He looked up to them with a smug smile as his fingers slipped into a small, almost imperceptible slit in the binding and opened it up. In a second Caroline was crouched by his side, her hand joining his as she peeled the brown paper back to reveal a pocket large enough to form a hiding spot.

"Do you think this was her?" asked Caroline excitedly.

"It's not a tourist's typical hiding place for their passport," said Klaus, and Caroline was almost startled at the warm feeling of his breath fanning over her cheek and she realized how close they were. Trying to suppress a blush, she carefully ripped open the pocket in the binding further, only to find a single piece of paper stuck near the bottom.

"Is this it?" she asked, disappointed.

"Let's not lose faith yet," said Klaus, taking the folded paper and examining it. Drawn on one side was the old rune that kept popping up, the sympbol of the cult. Opening the note up, Klaus read it aloud.

"_Dear Jack, _

_ The pieces of our mission are coming together. Show these pages to the witches of the Quarter, and gain their knowledge. Beware the resurrected vampire; he was not the help we thought he could be. My assistant can be trusted, and has been spelled accordingly. Give her the pages with your notes and prepare to join us soon._

_ The First Immortal will rise again. _

_ -Madeline."_

"Well that's thoroughly cryptic," said Kol drily, but Klaus shot to his feet, the paper crumpling in his tightly balled fist.

"What are you so angry about, this is great!" said Caroline happily. "Harriet said she was delivering 'documents', this must have fallen out, it tells us – "

"It tells us that the witches of the French Quarter have been conspiring with these bastards!" spat Klaus, his eyes tinged with gold. "They're supposed to be _loyal, _they're supposed to be making no moves against _my order!" _ He suppressed a growl, his eyes returning to normal but his anger was palpable, rolling off him in waves. "When I find out who's been going against my reign, I will _rip them to shreds!"_

Klaus' rant was cut off suddenly by the shrill ring of his cell phone and he yanked it out, jamming his finger on the button and bringing it to his ear. "What, Elijah?" he barked.

"_Niklaus, I don't know what's put you in a foul mood, but you need to return to the compound immediately. _ _There's something you need to hear."_

* * *

><p>"Elijah, will you just come out and say what this is all about?"<p>

"Wait until Klaus arrives," said Elijah patiently, running his fingers over the teardrop pendant in his hand. The vervain flower inside it looked fresh and alive, where it probably should've withered. But then, that was hardly the most special thing about it.

"This is all incredibly mysterious, but I don't exist to be at the beck and call of your family." The redhead witch currently sitting in the courtyard crossed her arms and glared at the eldest Original, waiting for the explanation he was so adamantly withholding.

Elijah sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Genevieve, there is more happening in this city than you realize; I would appreciate your patience until I can properly explain it all."

Genevieve straightened, latching on to his vague words. "Does this have to do with those strangers?" she asked eagerly.

"What do you know?" asked Elijah warily.

"There have been whispers all over the Quarter, through the vampires and witches" said Genevieve. "A man and woman, both young, and apparently both guests of the Mikaelsons – who are they, Elijah?"

"They're not to be harmed," said Elijah tersely.

"Are you sure about that? Because there's been quite an upturn in vampire deaths since their rumored arrival, and the word is that Marcel is _not _happy with how things are being run." Genevieve's smug smile grew as she could see Elijah's discomfort, but both were interrupted by three people coming into the courtyard.

"Is this them then?" asked Genevieve, standing up and assessing the two vampires who flanked Klaus. "They don't look like much of a threat," she said dismissively.

"You'd be surprised," said Caroline, rolling her eyes at the cool reception.

"Looks can be quite deceptive," said Kol with catlike smile. "And you should respect your elders."

"Enough," said Klaus, irritated already, "Genevieve, this is Caroline Forbes, and my younger brother, Kol. Genevieve is an elder in her coven, one the most powerful in the city."

The sneer had dropped from the witch's face as her eyes widened, roaming over Kol. "_You're _Kol?! The younger brother? But I thought you were – "

"Yeah, yeah, he was dead, now he's not, can we please move on?" asked Caroline waving her hand. Genevieve scoffed at the young blonde but Caroline paid her no mind, turning towards the pendant that was still dangling from Elijah's hand. "Did you find out anything about hat necklace?"

"We did," said Elijah, "Genevieve has informed me that it was cursed, rather heavily it would seem."

"What sort of spells are we talking about?" asked Klaus.

"It was bound to a life," said Genevieve quickly, "I don't know whose – but if I had to guess, I'd say that removal of the necklace caused someone to die."

"It did," said Caroline, horror dawning on her. "That witch spelled this necklace so that if a vampire tried to take it off Harriet to compel her, she's just die anyway."

"And all of the secrets she knew died with her," said Kol darkly. "They're not only powerful; they're willing to leave collateral damage."

"I don't know what you're talking about," said Genevieve, annoyed to be kept out of the loop, "but I will say that this required an incredible amount of power. To cast something like this, I'd have to be channeling my entire coven."

"Well they've certainly got no problem with large numbers," said Kol.

"Speaking of which, perhaps this is the moment to discuss whether or not those numbers have grown," said Klaus smoothly as he came to stand in front of Genevieve. The witch straightened, but the hard look on the hybrid's face caused her to falter.

"Klaus, what is this about?" she asked, a smirk playing around her lips. Granted it had been years since they had last been together, but that didn't have to stop her from flirting now. Though, the hybrid seemed to be in no mood for her antics.

"Has someone approached you for help?" he asked harshly.

"Help about what?" she asked, confused.

"A spell, a curse, anything, has a stranger come to the quarter and solicited help from the witches?" asked Klaus, his temper steadily mounting.

"Niklaus…" said Elijah, ready to intervene should his brother let his temper get the better of him. He turned towards Kol and Caroline, but both looked very interested in hearing Genevieve's answer.

"I have no clue what you're talking about!" she said in earnest.

"It would have been really recently, within the last week or so," interjected Kol. "Has _anyone _come around the witches and asked for their help."

"N-no," said Genevieve, but she looked away for just a moment and it was enough for Klaus to wrap a hand around her neck with a snarl.

"_Don't – lie – to – me,"_ he said, punctuating each word with the tightening of his grip, until the witch could barely breathe.

"Klaus!" hissed Caroline, flashing right to his side and he lessened his grip on Genevieve's neck ever so slightly, enough for her to sputter and shoot Caroline a suspicious glance.

"Tell me what you're hiding," ordered Klaus lowly, but against hesitation flashed across the witch's face.

"I didn't help anyone – I swear – I don't think so –"

'You don't _think so?!_" snarled Klaus but the witch struggled to speak quickly.

"It's just that – a few nights ago, I was practicing a spell, and I think I lost some time…" Klaus let go of Genevieve's neck and the witch stumbled back, rubbing her throat and glaring at him hatefully.

"I was meditating, and when I woke up, hours had passed. I thought I had simply lost track of the time."

"You didn't," said Caroline, an uneasy feeling creeping up her spine. "I think you met the person we're looking for, but they wiped your memory." She turned back to face Kol whose grim expression matched hers. "He could've already gotten all the help he needed."

"Who knows who else he asked," said Kol, "There are hundreds of witches in this city, and it'll take ages to interrogate all of them."

"Interrogate?!" screeched Genevieve, her head swiveling between the Mikaelson brothers. "You bastards swore there would be peace in this city if you became King!" she spat accusingly at Klaus. "I won't let you harm the witches for whatever vendetta you have!"

Kol laughed darkly, "You're not going to have much of a say in the matter, darling. We've got worse enemies than you to worry about."

"Do you really?" asked the witch with a sneer. "I doubt you'll be able to get far with that attitude."

"Can't say an attitude adjustment is our biggest problem," said Kol drily.

"It's not," said Klaus. "What is our problem are witches who are letting themselves be taken advantage of, and helping all manner of evil work their way back from the dead."

"Why would they even need the help of the witches here, they're already powerful?" Caroline asked out loud.

"Power is one thing, but resurrecting Silas?" said Kol. "The spell involved would be incredibly complex – and who better to ask for help on a spell than the collective group of the oldest witch bloodlines in the country?"

"This is insane," said Genevieve, looking thoroughly confused as she edged away from them. "I don't know what this is about and I don't care, but you will leave the witches here in peace!"

She turned on her heel to march out but was met with Klaus' body not a second later. "Sorry love, but I'm in a bit of a bind here," he said with a dark smirk. "You see, I don't really trust these pesky cult members to not recruit from the French Quarter witches, whether you have your memories or not."

"Klaus – "

"And who knows what else you've been asked to do? Things you don't even remember – things you might be asked to do again."

"We'll take precautions…" said Genevieve, the precariousness of her situation dawning on her quickly.

"As will I," said Klaus. "I can't have any loose ends. Nothing personal."

At the very moment Elijah, Kol, and Caroline realized what would happen, it was too late for Genevieve's life. The witch crumpled to the ground, heartless, her bright red hair splayed out over the stones.

"What have you done?" asked Elijah in a horrified whisper.

"Jesus Christ, Nik, was that the best idea?" asked Kol, looking over the corpse.

"They were powerful enough to wipe her memory, which means they're powerful enough to control her," said Klaus brusquely. "We couldn't take the chance."

Kol was inclined to agree, but Caroline shut her eyes against the harsh reality of _another _death, one she was sure would be far from the last.

"Do you realize that this could incite a war?" asked Elijah furiously.

"Tell the witches that there is someone in this city after their help. Tell them we're investigating and blame this death on a stranger, someone powerful enough to wipe memories."

"You can't expect them to believe that!" Elijah shot back.

"It's partly the truth, isn't it?" said Klaus, his voice as hard as steel. "Give her body back to the witches and ask around, see if any of them are victims."

"For someone who fashions himself as King, it astounds me how little you understand the machinations of your own kingdom," said Elijah, shaking his head in disgust.

Klaus' calm façade slipped for just a second as he went toe to toe with his older brother. "New Orleans is under _my_ total control, Elijah. There will be no war, not while I rule it. Am I understood?"

Elijah looked like he wanted to argue further, but Klaus' attention was diverted by Caroline speaking in a low voice to Kol before turning on her heel and leaving the compound, shooting an uneasy glance at Klaus as she left.

"You're not winning any brownie points with her," said Kol with a smirk. "She's so hung up on that pesky morality of hers."

Klaus was ready to stalk off into the compound and pour a stiff drink, but stopped at Kol's words, turning towards his little brother with a sudden thought. "Kol – this past year, did Caroline have any odd habits?"

"Too many to count, she's a neurotic little thing," said Kol, rolling his eyes. "What are you thinking of?"

"She keeps playing with her ring."

"Oh that, she did it all the time. But I suppose it makes sense." Kol's easy smile dropped and he actually looked serious, which was enough to make Klaus nervous.

"What do you mean,' it makes sense'?"

"Nik, when I met her, she was ready to pull that ring off."

* * *

><p>Caroline shoved the key into the lock, pushing her door open. Before she stepped through, she stilled, feeling a familiar presence and looked behind her to see Klaus standing there, an unreadable expression on his face. "Why am I not surprised?" Caroline muttered to herself, walking in and hearing him follow her wordlessly.<p>

"Not sure this is a good time to chat," said Caroline as she pulled off her jacket and leant against the kitchen counter, rubbing her head tiredly. Truthfully, it felt like it had been a long day, and the more people that dropped dead, the more her head hurt. She wasn't in the mood to hear about how she should be used to this, how any other reasonable vampire would understand that this was just what needed to be done, she _already knew that. _

It didn't mean she had to like it though.

"Why were you going to kill yourself?"

Caroline stilled, looking over at Klaus who was scrutinizing her, anger and concern mixing together. He was retraining himself, she could tell, but this was not something she wanted to get into, not now, and not for a very long time.

"Who told you about that?" she asked rhetorically, knowing the only answer.

"My brother is once again lording secrets over my head," said Klaus stiffly.

"He's not '_lording' _anything, I made him promise me that he wouldn't say anything," said Caroline, a little put out that Kol had let the detail slip. Her head throbbed again and she slumped back, rubbing her forehead, feeling utterly exhausted.

"Love?" Klaus' voice sounded vaguely distant, despite how close he was standing. "Love, when was the last time you fed?"

It had been a few days at least, she hadn't gotten vampire blood since the ambush, and she realized suddenly how dangerous that was. Before she could make her way over to the fridge, Klaus had beaten her to it, extracting one of the blood bags he had given her that morning and leading her by the elbow to sit on the couch.

"I can do this myself, you know," said Caroline, exasperated but unable to help the small smile on her face. He said nothing, simply handing her the bag and Caroline eagerly ripped open the top, bringing the straw to her lips and sucking in the thick substance greedily. The familiar smooth, rich texture of Klaus' blood nearly made her heady as it slid slowly down her throat, reviving her, bringing her senses to full clarity. There was something oddly comforting about the taste, it reminded her of days long past. Granted, her life had been in mortal danger both times, but nostalgia was always a tricky thing.

Caroline let her eyes drift shut as she happily indulged in the blood, right up until she realized she was crumpling the plastic bag and every single drop was gone. Shaking herself out of her haze, she willed her vampiric features to retract, and once she felt back to normal,( albeit now much more alert) she turned back to Klaus, intent on thanking him but finding herself at a loss for words as she met his intense stare.

Klaus, for his part, did all he could to remain still and silent, even as he watched Caroline drink _his _blood, the rosy hue of her cheeks caused by _him. _She looked much healthier now, the spark in her eyes shone brighter and he vowed to keep her well-stocked in blood if it meant she would always radiate this light. "Feel up to par?" he asked softly, edging closer to her and feeling her arm brush his. He let his hand trail over her arm, drawing patterns on her soft skin, encouraged by the pleased little hum she gave.

"Much, much better," said Caroline softly, wondering why she was suddenly so willing to let him be so close and touch her so carelessly. It was the effect of his blood, she decided, what else could it be to put her in such a relaxed state and make her feel so at ease with him so near. Her mind flashed back to the conversation they were in the middle of that morning, where they finally broached the subject of their tryst in the woods.

"Thanks again for doing this for me," said Caroline, opening her eyes and smiling gratefully. Klaus had moved even closer and the combination of the natural high of his blood in her veins and the familiar smell of Klaus' cologne emboldened her, so before she could think herself out of it, she leant forward and brushed her lips against his cheek, her lips lingering on his skin, feeling the prick of his stubble just before she finally pulled away with a light grin.

"Caroline," said Klaus, his voice husky, "You don't have to – "

"Uh, yes, yes I do," said Caroline firmly. "You're saving my life; you're going to have to put up with me thanking you. _Seriously." _

Klaus's smile widened and he reached up to tuck an errant blonde ringlet behind her ear. "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better," said Klaus brightly. "Come on now," he said, standing quickly and holding out his hand. "You've spent too much time chasing phantom witches. You're in New Orleans, you might as well learn some of the local tricks."

"You're going to teach me the best place to hide bodies?" asked Caroline, rolling her eyes.

"Maybe tomorrow," he said brightly. "For now, I'm going to take you to the best place to get gumbo."

* * *

><p>As Klaus and Caroline walked hand in hand towards Rousseau's, the figure in the shadows lifted his phone, capturing the image of the two. Lowering the device, he quickly scrolled through the pictures taken earlier that day in front of the Hotel Provincial. Having seen all he needed, he tapped out a familiar number and lifted his phone to his ear.<p>

"The human messenger is dead, and the Original is in the city," he said tersely. "We must act fast – they suspect the witches' involvement."

With his message delivered, he lowered his head and strolled back onto the city streets, leaving Klaus and Caroline none the wiser.

* * *

><p>"<em>Shouldn't we hide it better?" asked Caroline quietly as Kol dumped the warlock's corpse into a dumpster. <em>

"_No time for that," he replied cheerfully, "we've got things to do, people to track."_

_Caroline squeezed her eyes shut, taking a shuddering breath, her hand still covered in blood no matter how much she had tried to rub it off. It had been the only thing to do, she _knew _that. He wasn't going to stop until both her and Kol were dead, so an act of self-defense was hardly something to dwell on, all things considered. _

_Still, it didn't take away from the fact that she had ripped out someone's heart. _

"_Come along Sweets," said Kol, tugging her by the elbow, and she opened her eyes, letting him lead her away from the dumpster and the evidence of her kill. _

"_Why did you save me?" she asked, unable to hold back her curiosity._

_Kol shot her a grin, "Darling, we went over this, you're quite the partner in crime. And should the time come that I need to involve my family in this, you're going to be the leverage I need to keep me out of a coffin. Besides, just because you're irritating doesn't mean I want you dead."_

_Caroline snorted, but accepted his answer. "So what now?" she asked carefully._

"_Now we move on, continue south. Unless of course, you're still wound up from earlier?" Kol stopped and turned to look at her curiously. All traces of his earlier anger was gone, but he was quick to move on, Caroline had come to learn. His temper was deadly, but fleeting. He never forgot – she was smarter than to believe that – but he was willing to put things behind him. _

"_I don't know why I was surprised," said Caroline, blowing her hair out of her eyes. "You're – you."_

"_I am," said Kol, smirking. "And do you have a problem with that?" _

_Caroline met his stare and said nothing, thinking over the question. For all that he was, he was trying to stop a greater evil from rising from the death. And for all that she was supposed to be a 'good vampire', there was more blood on her hands than she ever wanted to admit. _

"_No," Caroline said finally. _

"_So we move on?" he asked, turning and continuing down the street._

"_We move on," said Caroline with a nod. It was something she never thought she could really forget, and it worried her that she was actu__ally willing to tolerate it. But then, clashing over feeding habits wasn't going to do them any good – for now, they had bigger things to worry about._

_You could try and take us  
>But we're the gladiators<br>Everyone a rager  
>But secretly they're saviors<br>Glory and gore go hand in hand_

* * *

><p><strong>And that's all for now, and I absolutely promise not to wait so long between updates again. Please leave a review, let me know what you think, yell at me for taking for long, and have a great weekend!<strong>

**Chapter title and lyrics are from 'Glory and Gore' by Lorde**

**(Feel free to follow me on Tumblr at hummingbirds-and-champagne)**


	8. Hands of Time

**Author's Note: I live! After a long and unfortunate series of events spanning these past few weeks, I finally have my laptop back in full running shape, and can finally update. Many apologies for the delay, but here's a nice and long chapter to make up for it, and once again, thank you so much for all the feedback and alerts, I absolutely love reading people's questions and thoughts and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!**

**Disclaimer: If I owned the show, I could go to Comic Con next week.**

* * *

><p><em>Another day is gone<br>Washed away with sorrows that you dwelled upon  
>And as the moon is rising, you think to yourself<br>I could be gone, if I go now_

It was early in the day, too early even for the most hopeless of Rousseau's regulars. Camille huffed as she lifted the tray of glasses on top of the bar, making quick work of stocking them behind the counter, while inwardly debating the merits of pulling more morning shifts if it meant getting her loans paid off sooner. She had bent down to put away the last of the glasses when she stood up and nearly screamed at the stranger now standing behind the bar. Camille managed to catch her breath and stared him down accusingly, "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

The stranger, who ran the gamut of tall, dark and handsome, showed no remorse but instead grinned widely, holding up his hands in a non-threatening gesture. "So sorry about that – I'm simply trying to get the lay of the land."

Camille nodded slowly, watching him carefully. "Are you a tourist?" she asked, trying to remain polite, if wary.

He chuckled, "I suppose I am. It's been a while since I've been able to get out and do some travelling."

"Well, enjoy yourself, but we're not really open until a bit later." Camille picked up a glass, hoping to deter the stranger from further conversation, but he lingered for a moment.

"Truth be told, I'm looking for an old acquaintance," he said, sounding slightly more serious. "Blonde, perky – goes by the name Caroline?"

The bartender frowned, the name dancing at the edge of her memory. "Sorry, no Carolines around here that I know of," she said with a shrug, but she could swear she had heard that name recently, someone had said it…

A head of blonde hair flashed through her mind along with the scraps of a conversation between brothers, and Camille stiffened, wondering what the hell this stranger wanted with some girl who happened to be a friend of two Originals. Whoever she was, Camille didn't feel like giving her up to some stranger, especially if Klaus was involved. So, determined to just keep to herself she resumed her chores and the stranger took his cue to leave, turning on his heel and not even bothering with a goodbye.

* * *

><p>Young or old, dead or alive, there were a thousand things to be said about nature's servants, those self-righteous beings who held so much power coupled with an unending sense of superiority and the need to judge every other supernatural being as unworthy. Klaus sighed for the thousandth time that morning, watching the various witches of the French Quarter gathered together in Lafayette cemetery, suspicion plain on their faces as they watched him carefully, each trying to suss out the reason for their congregation.<p>

Vampires and werewolves were so much easier to deal with. A little compulsion here, a little blood spilt there and things could get accomplished, secrets could be thrown out into the open to be dealt with. But _witches, _that required _finesse, _or so claimed Elijah as he cautioned his impetuous brother to at least try and keep his temper. Klaus wondered how much longer he could hold onto that promise as he eyed each of the gathered, wondering which ones were working against them all. Whether their involvement was even voluntary was of no consequence, not if it meant preventing worse evils from taking them all out.

"We simply have a few questions for you all, we suspect there may be a threat to the city that we're looking into," Elijah explained, purposely keeping his words vague. They weren't convinced, Klaus noted as he stood by his brother's side. Regardless of whatever peace had been brokered between the witches and vampires, they would never fully trust the rule of the Original family.

"I realize that this may be an odd question, but have any of you experienced memory loss within the past week or so?"

Predictably, they shook their heads in denial, all frowning deeply as the implications of the question floated through the air, unspoken.

"Is this about Genevieve?" called out a young woman, toying nervously with the edges of her sleeves. "We haven't seen her in days – what happened to her?" The question was a loaded one; each witch turning to the Mikaelsons for answers, and in the few seconds that it took Elijah to reach an answer, their worst fears had been confirmed.

"I'm very sorry to inform you all that Genevieve was killed, likely by the, ah, _threat_, that my brother and I are investigating, which is why we need your full cooperation," Elijah said evenly, his words placating, but doing nothing to ease the mix of shock and fury that had rippled through the small crowd.

"Who did it to her?!" one voice demanded to know and Klaus saw his older brother incline his head ever so slightly towards him, but still said nothing of the truth about Genevieve's swift demise. Elijah instead held up a hand to quiet the group, and continued on evenly, "We will find out who killed her, and I can promise you that. All we ask now is that you think back over the past week and let us know if there are any holes in your memories."

While Elijah spoke, Klaus observed, content to let his brother's diplomacy lull the witches into some sense of forwardness. He watched their jittery movements, the way they darted glances at one another, asking silent questions but receiving no answers. Most were confused and aggrieved over the death of one of their own, but Klaus's eyes narrowed in on the smattering who couldn't look their friends in the eye, the ones who looked distinctly shaken at the mention of lost memories and his lips twisted in a triumphant smirk.

_Found you. _

"What's wrong love?" he asked, addressing one of the younger witches, barely older than a teenager. His sudden words caused her to snap her head up and she looked like a deer caught in headlights before trying to compose herself as much as possible.

"I'm just – I didn't know about Gen – she was a friend…"

"Now is that really all that's troubling you?" Klaus asked his face a picture of false sincerity as he advanced on the girl, hands clasped behind his back. Elijah and the others watched him warily, but he kept his eyes on his target, whose face had all but drained of colour.

"I don't know what you're talking about," the girl said, her voice steady but barely over a whisper.

Klaus narrowed his eyes, tired of playing games and he looked to the others in the crowd. "When did it start?" he asked coldly, his voice brokering no room for denial. They remained silent however, their eyes trained on the ground, and he sighed to himself.

"I'll ask again," he said lowly and then flashed forward, his hand grabbing the young witch by the throat and holding her there, ignoring the panicked shouts of the others around him. "_When. Did. It. START?!" _

"A few days ago, I can't remember what I was doing that night!" she admitted desperately and Klaus dropped her to the ground, ignoring the familiar pain of an aneurysm as the others retaliated. They ended their onslaught when met with his sharp glare but stared back hatefully as Elijah gripped his arm and pulled him away while they attended to his unfortunate victim.

"What in the name of God do you think you're doing?" Elijah hissed, dragging him away from eavesdroppers and keeping his voice low.

"This isn't the time to be worrying about your bloody peace treaties," Klaus said, unimpressed by his brother's constant interference. "We need answers fast, Elijah. You saw the looks on their faces, all we have to do is put them under interrogation and kill them to avoid further involvement, it won't take much trouble."

"Are you even listening to yourself?" Elijah asked, frustrated with his brother's familiar methods. "You propose killing them indiscriminately for crimes they have no control over, how much longer do you expect them to sit passively by while you go on murdering them for a cause they have no knowledge of?!"

"They will accept it, brother, because they recognize that they are not the ones running this city," said Klaus tersely.

"They are more useful to you alive, Niklaus." Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose as he staved off his exasperation, knowing that if he didn't convince him now, it might be too late. "Say this group of Silas's followers comes to power, say they manage to raise him – you'll need all the power this city has to put up a fight. And you won't get it by alienating them now."

Klaus jaw clenched but even he recognized that Elijah was right on this count. Turning back towards the witches, they were speaking hurriedly amongst themselves, shooting outright suspicious glances at the two brothers.

"Perhaps I acted too…harshly," Klaus conceded with much reluctance. "The matter remains that there are powerful people in this city who are in need of assistance from witches and have been altering the memories of all involved. While my brother and I investigate, if I suspect even a single one of you to be aiding them consciously, I will personally see to it that your suffering extends to the point where you will be _begging _me for death."

"What my brother means," interjected Elijah hastily, "Is that we ask you remain vigilant. They have already killed one of your own, we don't wish for that number to rise." Again, the elder Original cast the subtlest glance at his brother, but the witches were too aggravated to notice.

"How do you know all of this?" one of them asked, stepping forward, making sure to angle herself in front of the younger girl who was still rubbing the bruises on her throat. "_Who _are these people? How are they so powerful?"

"Allow us to concern ourselves with the specifics," said Klaus dismissively, brushing her off.

"This is starting to feel very familiar," she shot back. "How is this any better than living under Marcel's rule?!"

"We're hardly asking you to stop practicing magic," said Elijah, trying his hardest to keep his composure.

Klaus nodded along with his brother's words, staring at the assembled with a cold glint in his eyes. "And might I add, Marcel is _not _in power anymore. _ I _am your king, _I _will be the one to handle all threats against my kingdom, and you would all do well to listen to my orders without complaint. Be satisfied that I've decided to let you live," he said, directing his glare to those who had obviously been victim to memory alteration. "Try and see that it doesn't happen again."

With those parting words he turned on his heel and stalked off, Elijah by his side. "You were right to keep them alive, Klaus," he said quietly, though he knew his brother's hold on his temper was tenuous at best.

"They should be grateful I'm willing to consider their future usefulness," Klaus snarled, obviously displeased at having the opportunity to cause some death taken away from him. "But I swear to you brother, if the time comes when they refuse to pay back my consideration today, I will have no problem making good on my threats."

Elijah sighed tiredly, "Let's hope it doesn't come to that then. Perhaps we'd be better served taking them into confidence?"

"And trust them to keep their heads? The last witch to learn about Silas was Bonnie Bennet and that hardly ended well for her, the last thing New Orleans needs are more witches taken in by Silas's false promises and performing massacres to complete some bloody expression triangle."

"That's pure speculation, you simply don't like nor do you trust them."

"Pains in the arse, what can I tell you?" said Klaus with a shrug. "Besides, the quieter we keep things for now, the better chance we have of stopping this before it all happens. If those bloody fools think they might still have a chance of turning the witches, then they'll stay here where we can find them and kill them."

"It's a huge gamble," groused Elijah, but as always, Klaus failed to care or listen, and with barely a passing glance, marched away and into the streets of the city. Elijah hung back, looking back for a moment towards the dispersing witches, catching whispers of their worried conversations. He knew he couldn't hold off his brother's murderous impulses for long,

"I'm surprised there's not more blood."

Elijah turned to see Rebekah walking up to him, hands stuffed in her coat pockets, watching the direction where their brother had gone.

"Sister, you should've joined us."

Rebekah snorted ungracefully at the suggestion. "As if I wanted to be witness to his ridiculous theatrics. Let me guess, he pulled the 'I'll make you _beg _for death' line?"

"It's nice to know some things are predictable, isn't it?" Rebekah actually cracked a small smile and Elijah prided himself on still being able to cheer his baby sister up, although the moments were few and far in between.

"So why are you out here anyway?" he asked her.

She huffed lightly, "I wanted to get out of the house. Kol was…well he was there. Keeping silent. To think all those years I wished he would just shut up, now he doesn't say a word and he still drives me up the bloody wall!"

"Rebekah – "

"Oh, unless of course he's on the phone with _Caroline, _then it's all _'What have you got for me today Sweets?'_ and they're off playing detectives while the rest of us play second string!" She was agitated now, frowning deeply as she kicked the ground, muddying her designer boots, a sure sign that this was something that was seriously irritating her.

"Why does it bother you so much? That he's taken Caroline Forbes into his confidence?" asked Elijah, slightly puzzled by Rebekah's odd fixation on this matter.

"He should be taking _us _as his confidants, Elijah! We're family, that's supposed to mean something."

Elijah said nothing but didn't voice his own opinions, not wanting to add to her ire in any way. Truthfully, he was just as bothered, but then, that time after Kol's death had left him with little time to mourn and he suspects Kol had borne witness to that. Not that he had said a word about it, of course. But that was Kol – you never _really _knew where you stood with him.

"Let's just focus on the pressing issues, shall we?" said Elijah tiredly.

"And what exactly are those pressing issues?" A new voice joined them and both Originals tensed, their guard rising as they saw who was joining them.

"Marcel. And how are you today?" asked Elijah, taking care to remain stoic.

"Cut the bullshit, Elijah, tell me what the fuck your brothers are doing to my city." Marcel, for once, had none of his usual charm and charisma, his eyes were steely as he stared them both down.

"_Your _city?" asked Rebekah incredulously. "Have you completely gone mad?"

"People are dropping like flies and I know it's _his _fault!"

Elijah grimaced, wondering how best to go about this as diplomatically as possible. "My brother is doing what is best for New Orleans and – "

But Marcel was having none of it, scoffing loudly at Elijah's words and cutting him off before he could argue his case. "And if he's just doing what's best, why is he calling meetings of the witches without telling me?"

"It's hardly _your _concern, Marcel." Eljah spoke with narrowed eyes and his voice held an edge of steel; while he tolerated Marcel for the sake of harmony between the vampires of the Quarter, he was not about to allow Marcel's ambitions to take their kingdom from them once more.

Marcel stepped forward, now cowed by the subtle threat, not this time. "It's my concern if my friends are dying, if witches are disappearing because of 'strangers' that no one can remember. If Klaus is supposed to be king, why isn't he defending his _kingdom?_"

Elijah faltered for the first time, his jaw clenched as he reluctantly acknowledged the truth in Marcel's words. The younger vampire grinned in victory, knowing he was right, and Elijah cursed himself for giving Marcel even the slightest edge – regardless of how correct he might have been, he could not be put in any position to claim victory.

"You know I'm right, Rebekah," Marcel went on with renewed vigour, turning towards her hoping to appeal to their shared history. "You know your brother's making mistakes, you _know _he's not right for the city, you can help me – "

"_Help _you?" Rebekah asked with contempt. "Not this time Marcel. I stand by my brother."

He didn't appreciate her words, that much was obvious as he straightened, recognizing that neither Mikaelson would be willing to oppose their brother now as they once might have. There was something more to all of it, something they were all hiding, but with Rebekah's last declaration hanging in the air and Elijah steely gaze leaving an unspoken threat, they both turned and walked off, leaving the once-king to look between them and the cemetery where some witches still lingered.

Well. Elijah and Rebekah had their chance. If they wouldn't help him save the city, then he'd be more than happy to do it on his own.

* * *

><p>"Sweets, we've gone over this a thousand times, we're not going to magically figure it out on the thousandth and first." Kol collapsed down on the couch in Caroline's apartment and kicked his legs up over the armrest, looking over at the blonde who was sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table, intently pouring over the note left in Harriet's hotel room, reading and rereading the words that had long since been burned into her memory.<p>

"There has to be something we can get from this," said Caroline, frustrated at their complete lack of progress. "I'm not going to just throw out the only lead we have right now, it's not like we have so much to go on."

Kol barely paid attention to her, choosing instead to assess the new state of the formerly dilapidated flat, which now had new life thanks to Caroline's diligent decorating skills. "Did you have to paint the walls _blue?"_ he asked with a sneer.

"An evil cult is going to raise the closest thing we have to the devil and you're going to sit there and criticize my interior design?" asked Caroline in a deadpan.

"Well it's too _girly _now, it's distracting!"

Caroline could do nothing but sigh and drop her head against the coffee table, mumbling incoherently about "Original idiots' while Kol just chuckled. She looked up to shoot him her best glare but it had no effect whatsoever. "Can we please get back to the important stuff?" she snapped.

"What makes you so sure that this note can give us anything? It's not got any details, no names, places, dates – it's almost certainly useless."

"Well, what else do we have?" asked Caroline, a little desperately. "The New York list? Do you have it with you?"

He nodded and reached carefully into his jacket pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper, and handing it over. The edges were burnt but it was still readable, and Caroline gingerly opened it up, careful not to cause any more damage. Not that long ago, it had been this little piece of paper that sent them towards New Orleans in the first place, but now it seemed so useless.

"Do you think there's any chance this can still help us?" she asked glumly.

Kol shook his head, leaning back against the couch and choosing to stare up at the ceiling. "Nah. If one's gone, so are the rest. I don't know how they got tipped off, but they did."

"Madeline Jenkins knew," muttered Caroline, rereading her note. "She's says it right here, '_Beware the resurrected vampire', _she knew that you were here. They always knew where we were…" Caroline chewed on her lip nervously, "Kol, do you think they were – I don't know, following us, or something?"

"I would've known."

"Would you?" She tried not to flinch at the sharp glare he gave her, but she pressed on anyway. "Look, it was stressful, I get that, and you weren't exactly at one hundred percent. Is it so hard to believe that they were tailing us?"

"Caroline, do you remember those first few hours when we started all of this?"

She frowned, thinking back to that time and realizing that the memories were fuzzier than she had thought they would've been, so all she could do was shake her head mutely.

Kol smirked darkly, "You were a mess. You kept muttering things about blood and apologizing aimlessly, you were maybe five seconds from pulling off your ring at any given moment, I was sure you were going to bolt any second, so once we stopped at a motel I compelled you to sleep – "

"You did _what?!" _Caroline gaped at him, wondering how she had never caught onto that at the time. Granted she had been a complete mess, but she was convinced that she had just managed to calm herself down with a long sleep.

(It occurs to her that the thought of Kol compelling her _had _crossed her mind, several times, she had just never given much weight to the possibility. If she had, that would mean admitting she was too far gone from her old life to care.)

"All this time…you compelled me into coming with you?" she asked softly, trying to wrap her mind around the idea.

"For God's sake, weren't you listening?" Kol rolled his eyes patronizingly, "I just got you to stop blubbering for a night, by the next morning you were ready to go off your own free will."

Caroline eyed him suspiciously. "Swear it?"

"Cross my heart."

He grinned across at her, all mischief and mayhem, and Caroline knew that there was a very good chance that he could be lying through his teeth. She should be angry. She _should _feel furious and betrayed and she should do her best to claw his eyes out, except…

He was telling her the truth. The days of being Damon Salvatore's walking, talking blood bag are far behind her and this is something very, very different, she's smart enough to realize that. So maybe this is something she'll let slide, but she made a mental note to check for holes in her memory every now and then.

"Alright, what happened that night?" Caroline asked, wanting to move past this new information.

"Since you were out, I paid a visit to a witch I knew was in the area and bribed her into blocking us both from locator spells."

"That doesn't mean someone wasn't following us – "

"Across the country for a year?"

Caroline conceded his point, but still the feeling nagged at her. Turning her attention back to the note, she read over the words one more time, concentrating on one phrase that she had been turning over in her head for a while now. "Where do you think they're meeting?"

"What do you mean?" asked Kol, who had resumed examining the weird brown stain on the ceiling.

"This note says '_Prepare to join us' – _join 'us' where?"

"It could be anywhere that a large amount of witches would find useful to channeling their powers," mused Kol. "To use their collective power, they'd have to be somewhere they could congregate in peace…"

"They could be anywhere in the world," said Caroline, desperation gnawing at her stomach again. No matter what they did, no matter how close they came, they were never fast enough. And if they continued like this, then whatever had happened in Mystic Falls was going to look like a Kindergarten musical compared to what Silas would do everyone if he was actually brought back.

"Look, we're not going to magically divine where they are just sitting here with scraps of paper," said Kol after a long pause. He took the burnt list from the table and folded it back into his pocket, Caroline did the same with the note from the witch.

"So what do we do now?"

"Now, we see if my brother has actually made good on all his posturing and actually figured out any useful information from the witches, provided they haven't already realized what he did to the redhead and lynched him for it."

"What happened to her anyway?" asked Caroline apprehensively. If there was one thing she did not want to worry about, it was a vengeful witch ghost.

Kol shrugged, swinging his legs down from the armrest and crossing them on the coffee table. "Who knows, who cares, as long as my brother keeps the others on his side? Speaking of which," he pulled out his phone and grinned upon seeing a text from the big bad hybrid himself, informing him that the matter with the witches was wrapped up for now.

"It would appear Niklaus was more productive than we were," he said cheerfully. "We'll probably have to tell him about this secret meeting place, it's better than nothing."

"Right, no problem at all," said Caroline trying to be as casual as possible. She was cool, calm and collected; she had grown from being a constant neurotic teenager in Mystic Falls and now was not the time to start stuttering around Klaus.

After all, he'd only saved her life.

And then given her his blood to keep her functioning.

In fact, he was every bit the charming gentleman that he'd always pretended to be in front of her and Caroline knew that it was only a matter of time before the shoe dropped, everything was too _easy. _It couldn't last, and if (_when_) he did snap, for whatever reason, she only hoped that no one was caught in the crossfire.

"You do realize you're blushing, don't you?" Kol's smug tone broke through her thoughts and she looked up to see him smirking at her. "Your face is red and you're doing that lip-chewing thing, which tells me my big brother is occupying your thoughts once more."

"I am _not,_" she said, ignoring how she sounded like a pouting six-year-old.

"No need to deny it Sweets, you two have obviously been spending time together. I still can't believe he stocked you up on his own blood, the prick never did anything half as considerate for me."

"There's probably a reason for that," Caroline said cheekily, but Kol just whipped a cushion at her.

"As I was saying, pet, it's clear his infatuation with you is not going away anytime soon."

"I wish it would," she admitted half-heartedly. "He keeps asking about what happened back…back in Mystic Falls. Thanks for letting the whole 'ring' thing slip, by the way."

"It's not my fault he watches you obsessively," Kol said with a shrug, "sooner or later, he was going to notice something was off about you."

His jibe fell on deaf ears because the thought of her hometown brought up memories she immediately fought to suppress, not realizing how agitated she was until she heard a sharp _'crack' _and looked down to see her hand gripping the edge of the coffee table so hard that the wood had splintered under her grip. Sheepishly, she withdrew her hand, twisting it in her lap and studiously avoiding the heat of Kol's stare.

"You'll have to say something eventually," he remarked after she remained silent.

"I can at least try to avoid it," she muttered, and he could only sigh in response.

"At least you two are proving to be well-matched. Your bloodlust is tempered, and you're welcome, of course."

She actually laughed at that, despite her dark thoughts. "And why exactly am I _thanking_ you?"

"For bringing you to my brother, like I always said I would! Not that I'm thrilled about losing such a valuable asset, but I suppose I can take care of myself now."

"Please, I'll probably have to save you from your brother again before the week is up," she said with a snort.

Kol rolled his eyes, finally standing and extending his hand, pulling her to her feet. "Tell you what Sweets," he said, tucking her arm in his, "why don't we go find Klaus and you can make good on that promise?"

"What promise?" she asked tartly, "I could just let him leave you in a coffin for the next century."

"Please darling. You know you'd miss me."

* * *

><p><em><strong>ON THE ROAD<br>JULY 2014**_

_Caroline hummed along to the song on the radio, turning the volume up and singing along while the road sped by. The sun was bright in the sky, perfect weather to welcome them into California and in the back of her mind, Caroline remembered every dream she had had as a kid of seeing the West Coast, palm trees and all. She doubted she would have too much time to do sightseeing however, unless crazy witches preferred living in Malibu beachhouses. Still, this was her first time on the Golden coast, threat of apocalypse be damned, she was going to find some way to enjoy herself. _

"_What the hell…"_

_She grinned to herself at the sound of the tired voice, and snuck a peek in the rearview mirror to check on the body sprawled across the backseat. "Morning sunshine!" she called out, taking care to sound as obnoxious as possible. _

"_Bloody hell, did you hit me with a chair?" Kol groaned as he attempted to prop himself up on the backseat, taking stock of where he was and how he was feeling._

"_Why would I hit you with a chair?" asked Caroline, barely suppressing a laugh at his expense. _

"_I'm sure you've threatened exactly that at least once. Care to fill me in?"_

_Caroline grinned, glad to be the one with the upper hand for once, "Well, we stopped for gas, I went inside the store to get some Twizzlers, came back out to find you passed out next to the gas pump. You're lucky none of it got into your hair, you wouldn't be able to look yourself in the mirror for weeks!"_

"_Spare me the horror," Kol drawled, pushing himself up with a grimace. "Are we at least in California?" _

"_Nearly," said Caroline, drumming her fingers on the wheel and humming again before she felt a sharp elbow poking her side and she just managed to squeeze out an indignant 'Hey!' before Kol finally maneuvered himself over the console and into the passenger seat, happily jerking the seat back and crossing his legs up on the dash. _

"_I have to say, I'm quite pleased with how you've taken to all of this," he said, stealing the bag of candy in the console and pulling it out of Caroline's grasp. "A few months ago and you'd have probably left me in a ditch."_

"_Well, what can I say, I'm a saint," said Caroline loftily, sneaking a sideways glance at the carefree Original. "Soo…are we going to talk about the fact that you just – collapsed?"_

"_Another problem to solve at another time," Kol replied, his voice even, but with an edge that Caroline could just make out. _

"_But Kol – " _

"_I keep wondering what the merry gang of Mystic Falls would think of you if they could see you now."_

_The change in conversation was obvious but it did the trick, Caroline's mind was flooded with thoughts of home, and she couldn't help but wince, her grip on the wheel tightening until it almost cracked under the strength. "It doesn't matter now," she said tersely. "Anyway, what about _you?_ Aren't you curious about what your family's doing in New Orleans?"_

"_Not particularly," said Kol with a sniff. "Nik's terrorizing innocents, Elijah's cleaning up after them and Rebekah's probably crying over a boy. Such predictable fools."_

"_Riiight," said Caroline, "You don't miss them at all." _

"_I don't," he snapped, just a little too quickly to be convincing. "They're the bloody same, all three, running around that city as if it were Camelot." _

"_And you never thought about being a knight," Caroline muttered, but Kol caught her words. _

"_I tend to prefer darker roles, Sweets. I hope you're well aware though, should the day come that I find myself face to face with my tyrant brother, I'm counting on you to provide a decent buffer."_

"_Uh, keep dreaming," said Caroline, laughing at the suggestion. "There is no way I'm putting myself between you and Klaus. Besides, your brother's been….busy. I haven't spoken to him since I saw him back home during that whole thing with Katherine and by now, I'm pretty sure he's forgotten who I am."_

_Kol couldn't help but keep in a loud, sharp laugh, genuinely amused at the blonde's blindness. "Oh darling, how long did it take you to convince yourself of that one?" _

"_I'm serious Kol!" _

"_So am I, pet. A Mikaelson _never _forgets."_

* * *

><p>His earlier conversations still filtering through his memory, Klaus relished in the peace of the library, thinking over the words of his older brother. He would never admit it, not to his face, (not to anybody, really,) but Elijah's warnings had sparked a dark thought: what if his actions were putting his city in danger? He wasn't scared of losing it to anyone else – usurpers had traditionally been dealt with swiftly and brutally, sending a message to anyone who might dare try take New Orleans away from its founding family – but if he had to deal with dissent from the different factions, then another clan war, similar to the one that he had come into two years ago, was not such a far-fetched possibility.<p>

Still, he couldn't think that anyone wanted the state of bloodshed and paranoia that had reigned back when Marcel's tenuous hold over the Quarter resulted in bombs and massacres. So for now, he would trust that Elijah's vigilance would be enough to head off any serious threat. His peace was interrupted by the sound of the front door opening, Kol's voice following it. His brother was prattling on about some inane topic, but Klaus was much more interested in the woman who was now laughing at his brother's joke.

"Big brother! Where art thou?"

Rolling his eyes already, Klaus flashed down the stairs until he found both Caroline and Kol in the living room, his eyes studying the latter carefully. She was tense, though it was subtle. Although he had charitably dropped his line of questioning last night, the answers he'd yet to hear hung in the air between them.

"Everything go smoothly with the witches this morning?" asked Kol, helping himself to the scotch.

"More or less," replied Klaus, still watching Caroline carefully.

"We haven't got anything concrete from the note Harriet was hiding, but Caroline thinks she may have something to go on."

"Do you really, love?" he asked quietly, staring her down while she squirmed under his probing gaze.

"I think so," she said, hesitantly. "I mean it's not a lot, and we probably would've guessed it anyway – but it's something we can do, at least."

"Well done," Klaus said, his voice latent with pride. He didn't miss the small smile she gave at his praise and he couldn't help but be flattered that she held his praise in high regard.

"Is this what it's always like with you two? Just _staring _into each other's eyes? Should I put on some mood music?" Kol reclined on a couch with his drink, watching the two of them turn to glare at him.

"Seriously, Kol?"

"If you'd like to avoid a dagger then –"

"Yes, yes, I know, the usual," he said, waving them off. "But at least you two are doing well together. Sweet Caroline here is doing much better with her little 'control' issues, isn't that right darling?"

She wanted to roll his eyes at the careless way he said things, but Kol was right and she had bigger things to contend with, like the way Klaus was inching towards her, probably hoping she wouldn't notice. He looked more pleased with himself than usual, but then, she wasn't exactly in any position to complain.

"He is right," Klaus said quietly, "You certainly look better."

"And I feel it," Caroline said, but she still held back, hoping the conversation wouldn't turn to her past.

"I can't help but want to continue our conversation from yesterday," said Klaus, treading carefully. "You were tired then, but now I think it would be best – "

"Best?" asked Caroline, her guard up. "I think I get final say on what's 'best', don't I? It is _my _life."

"You're really going to keep quiet on this? After everything?" Although he willed his voice to remain even, Klaus couldn't help but feel the slightest bit hurt by her unwillingness to tell him whatever her secret was. He had entertained the thought – not that he had any proper right to – that considering what they were going through together, she might actually be willing to open up to him.

"Can't you just accept that I don't want any more people to know about what happened?" Caroline asked, feeling more and more cornered.

"Considering how you refuse to say a word, I can't think of _anybody _who knows what's happened!" Barely able to suppress the growl in his voice, he turned to pour himself a glass of scotch when he noticed his brother was noticeably avoiding his gaze, and as a shot a glance between him and Caroline, the truth became obvious.

"_He knows?!"_ Klaus just managed not to fling the decanter in his hand clear across the room, but Caroline just huffed and crossed her arms defensively.

"I'm not having _this _argument again. "

"Really Nik, one year on the road, people talk!" said Kol, sensing his brother's rising temper and unsure whether to stay and help Caroline's cause or get himself far away before daggers started flying.

"Keep your mouth shut, Kol," Klaus spat, turning back to the blonde. He knew, logically, that yelling and demanding would do no good and the best thing to do would be to be calm and gentle, the way he could only be when Caroline was involved. But then, he was never logical, not when it came to his temper, and certainly not when it came to her.

"Now sweetheart," he said through gritted teeth, "I'm sure whatever happened was terrible. That's the only reason you're so reluctant. But considering how I've been helping you, I should think I have a right to know what happened to you."

"A _'right'_?" Caroline cried, "You don't have a _right _to anything about me! I'm not your girlfriend!"

She was right, of course, but that didn't stop Klaus from flinching ever so slightly, his fists balled tight as he tried to ignore the disappointment he felt at her words.

"Perhaps I was too hasty when offering you my help," he said lowly.

It was Caroline's turn to hold back hurt, she didn't mean to back him into regretting helping her. She was unbelievably grateful, but she couldn't give him what he wanted, not yet anyway. All she knew was that if she stayed they would end up saying things they'd both regret so before she could yell (or cry) she screwed up her nerve and turned on her heel.

"Caroline – " Klaus watched her go, his temper deflating. It was the last thing he wanted, for her to leave, but he couldn't stand the idea of her keeping something so obviously drastic from him. He turned to face Kol, who was drinking impassively, watching the scene unfurl.

"Don't look at me, I'm not saying a word," he said with a shrug. "You want her so much, do something about it."

"You're bloody useless, you know that?" said Klaus before turning to follow Caroline, leaving his brother indignant in his wake.

"You know I have problems too!" he called out, before helping himself to a lot more alcohol.

Outside, Caroline had barely made it halfway through the Abbatoir's courtyard before she found Klaus standing in front of her, trying very hard to reign in his temper and try a different tactic.

"Caroline," he started, his voice still tense but leagues more gentle, "I don't know what happened. I won't try to guess. But whatever it was, it was bad enough that you were ready to _kill _yourself."

"Then why can't you just accept that I want to forget it?" Caroline asked, nearly pleading now. "Klaus – what I did – it was _terrible. _I deserved – " She broke off, turning away and cursing the tears that had gathered. "I _deserve_ death."

Klaus fought to keep himself composed and not reveal an ounce of the horror he felt. One thousand years and he could count on one hand the number of times he had felt that particular brand of fear, but nothing compared to watching the girl who had once told him she didn't want to die now admit that she was ready to throw her life away.

"You don't mean that," he said adamantly. She started to shake her head but Klaus cut her off quickly, "If you were truly so set on that course, you would've already done something. You've spent a year trying to stop Silas – " He stopped abruptly as the realization washed over him. "Is that it? Is that why you've been following my brother? You knew – you knew that Kol was using you as a weapon. And you let him, because you were _guilty."_

They dropped into a heavy silence and Klaus took that as all the confirmation he needed. All the fight had dropped out of both of them and all he could do was watch as she quietly retreated inside herself, no doubt reliving no shortage of horrible memories. Carefully he reached out and grabbed her hand, interlacing their fingers, though the blonde hardly noticed. He gave her hand a light squeeze and she turned to him with a confused look, looking between his gaze and their intertwined hands.

"Am I interrupting?"

Strolling into the courtyard, Marcel kept a wary distance from both of the vampires, eyeing their joined hands with disdain. "I've been looking around for you. Hope I didn't walk in on something."

"As a matter of fact, you did, so feel to leave anytime." Klaus was ready to tear out his own hair at another interruption by his former protégé, and he couldn't help but miss the dark glare that Marcel was sending Caroline's way. Tugging her lightly by the hand, he subtly pulled her back until she was closer to him, where he could properly get her out of the path of danger.

"What's wrong Klaus? Got no time to talk about your city?" asked Marcel, tauntingly.

Klaus couldn't stand down from the implied dare, but he kept his grip tight on Caroline and made no move to move any closer to Marcel than necessary. "Say your piece then, and make it quick."

"I talked to Elijah and Rebekah earlier, they were pretty set on keeping quiet about what was going on with the witches."

"As they should have been. Your point?"

"I wanted to do this _with _you Klaus, but I can't help you if you're not going to take this seriously," Marcel said, his voice tinged with bitterness."

"_Help me?" _Klaus' eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "Tell me Marcellus, how exactly do you think you can 'help me'?"

"Davina's keeping me in the loop Klaus, the witches aren't happy. Genevive's dead, mysterious strangers that you know so much about are targeting them, and you're keeping secrets again. You know what happens when witches aren't happy. They fight back."

"They should be falling into line," growled Klaus, more to himself than anyone.

Marcel laughed harshly, "Fuck, you don't even see your problem, do you? You think everyone's just going to dance to your tune; you don't even realize you're _losing_ this city!"

Caroline looked up just in time to see Klaus' eyes flash golden, and before he could lunge forward, she stepped forward, feeling his grip on her tighten. She heavily disliked Marcel, her kidnapping a week ago still fresh in her mind, but she knew enough about the shaky politics of New Orleans that Klaus really couldn't afford to just blindly kill him. "Marcel," she said carefully, not wanting to piss him off more, "listen, there's something you don't understand – "

"Stay out of this, bitch!" Marcel spat, "You should've been taken care of a long time ago."

Caroline stood her ground, but her mind reeled as she realized what he meant. "You ordered that attack, didn't you?" she asked, furious.

Marcel sneered, "You're a vampire who hunts _other vampires._ You're a cannibal. You deserved much worse." The latent disgust in his voice caused her to flinch back and Klaus didn't wait, he dropped Caroline's hand and in a second had Marcel pinned to the ground by his throat, landing heavy blows on the younger vampire's face. Marcel struggled under the assault, but before Klaus could do worse he was pulled back and found himself struggling against Kol's hold.

"Leave it Nik!" he said, barely managing to restrain the hybrid. "You don't need a full-scale revolt, not _now."_

Kol's interruption was all that Marcel needed, he was gone in an instant. With a final roar, Klaus pulled away from his brother, pacing back and forth, running his bloodied hand through his hair. "You should've stayed well out of it," he snarled at Kol.

"You kill the bastard, you'll have all his little friends at your doorstep, and you know the witches prefer him over you as long as the little one is on his side."

"You're feeling diplomatic today," said Caroline, a little surprised at Kol's reasoning.

"Oh believe me; I'd love to take a baseball bat to the wanker, but we've got bigger fish to fry. Nice work, by the way."

Caroline couldn't figure out what he meant, she'd barely done anything. "What are you talking about?"

Kol smirked, "Marcel's face was nearly pulp and Nik's hands are covered in blood. But look at you, completely in control."

He sounded oddly proud of her, and he was completely right, Caroline realized with a slight jolt. The tantalizing scent of vampire blood floated through the air, and she could feel her fangs sharpening, but it wasn't like the other times at all. She could still think clearly, could feel everything around her, not just the blood. A wide grin broke out on her face despite the tension, and if nothing else, it calmed Klaus down, just a little.

"Well, this was fun, but I need another drink. Night, Sweets."

With a parting wink, Kol left them alone and Caroline let herself dwell on her success before turning back to Klaus, only to find him staring at her as if he were calculating a strategy.

"You should leave," he said finally, he voice oddly terse.

"Well, I guess I'll go back to the apartment – "

"I meant New Orleans."

Caroline recoiled as if he had struck her, she never would've expected him to order her away. "What the hell are you talking about?" she asked, getting angry. "I'm not going anywhere! We have work to do here if you've suddenly forgotten about the whole 'apocalypse cult' we're supposed to be dealing with!"

Klaus remained impassive, only curling his hands into fists by his side. "You're not getting much information from here, are you? Those who might have been in this city are useless, and if any still remain, Kol can handle it. You said it yourself, you had a lead with that note. Surely you can investigate it somewhere else?"

"Why should I?" she asked stubbornly. "I said it before; you don't get to tell me what to do!"

"For God's sake Caroline, use your head!" Klaus snapped. "Marcel all but admitted to the attack, I don't know how many more he has planned!" He stopped, breathing heavily, trying to calm himself down and when he spoke again, he tried to reason with her.

"I would do my best, sweetheart," he said, coming forward and once more taking her hand. "I would do everything in my power to protect you. But if, for any reason, that's not enough, you have to consider that the safest place for you would be outside this city."

Through his anger, Caroline could see how earnest he was, and she could even concede that he had a point. "I'm not leaving," she said, gentle but firm. "Maybe I'm not ripping people apart, but I haven't lost my strength, I can still fight. And I have to see this thing with Silas through, Klaus, you know I do. I'm not letting him come back to hurt people again."

Klaus couldn't hide his displeasure with her decision; she didn't know what he did. He saw the battlefield, he saw every piece on the board, and he knew how easily she could be used against him. He had made no secret that Caroline was someone not to be touched, and in that, she became a target. "You have to understand how things stand now, sweetheart," he said, almost desperately. "I can't bear to see something happen to you."

"And you _won't."_

"I'd have more faith if you were back in Mystic Falls! What's keeping you from going?" His words must have hit their mark because the colour drained from her face, and she gulped down, hard.

"I'm not going back," she said woodenly.

"This again?" he asked, frustration rushing back, "What's keeping you from your own home?"

"_I can't go back!" _she said, ripping her hand out of his and backing away. "I'm not leaving!"

The sheer panic and desperation in her eyes weighed on his conscience, he didn't know whether to back down or keep pushing her until she revealed what terrors had to occur to break her so thoroughly. One part of him wanted to force the truth out of her, another told him to go after his brother, either way, and he swore he was ready to hunt down any and all persons responsible for putting her in this state. Nothing could be worse than what he was imagining, he needed to know the truth, one way or another.

"You can't run from the past forever, Caroline," he said quietly.

"I can try," she whispered, eyes downcast.

Klaus sighed heavily, running his hand through his hair and turned away from her. They stayed in quiet, until footsteps interrupted the fragile silence. Looking up, Klaus found himself staring down a smirking stranger, who stood much too comfortably in the presence of the Original Hybrid. He held a strong air of arrogance, and it immediately put Klaus on edge. Before he could ask who he was, the stranger broke his stare and instead turned towards the blonde vampire who stood close by, his smirk widening as he looked her up and down.

"'I've been looking all over this city for you, Goldilocks. It's good to see you again."

There was fondness in his voice, enough to irritate Klaus to no end and he whipped around to face Caroline and demand some sort of explanation but she was stared slacked-jawed at the newcomer, barely able to form coherent words.

"Enzo…what are you doing here?"

_You can't turn back the hands of time  
>Just let it go and you'll be fine<br>What's done is done and it's alright  
>You can't turn back the hands of time<em>

* * *

><p><strong>It's a familiar face! And tensions are heightening all around, I hope you enjoyed, drop me a line and let me know what you think (or yell at me for taking so long!) Thanks for reading and have a great week!<strong>

**Chapter title and song lyrics are from 'Hands of Time' by Rachel Diggs**

**(Feel free to follow me on Tumblr at hummingbirds-and-champagne)**


	9. Dangerous to Know

**Author's Note: I'm still alive! And I am so so sorry it's been this long, but in return, please accept a nearly 10,000 word long chapter, and the final reveal of what exactly Caroline's secret is. And Enzo! To everyone who's still reading and reviewing, thank you all so so much, your awesome words are the best inspiration when I need it. **

**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine. **

* * *

><p><em>Some secrets need to be kept<br>Some stories should never be told  
>Some reasons shouldn't be understood<br>They just might turn your blood cold_

_**UNKNOWN LOCATION  
>FEBURARY 2014<strong>_

_How long had it been now? _

_Caroline tried to move her fingers, glad that they, at least, weren't completely numb. The same couldn't be said for the rest of her body, the burn of the vervain seeping so deep into her bones that she wondered how they hadn't been completely detached. It hurt to breathe, to move, the pain that soaked her body was so much worse than anything she had endured before, either at the hands of her father or the wolves. She wished she could go back to that. That was easy. _

_This? This was hell. _

_The thing about being experimented on? It's not fun. Caroline couldn't remember the last time her head was clear, or when she could see past the blur of tears. Her veins had been cut open countless times, probably to drain her blood and study it, but to what end, she had no idea. Every now and then, there would be the sharp prick of a needle in her shoulder, the sudden pain searing through her dulled senses, and it was usually accompanied by the burn of vervain to weaken her, the weight of it pulling her under until she managed to slip into unconsciousness. _

_Occasionally though, (not that she was too sure of this) the tell-tale prick of the needle did not precede the usual pain of vervain – in fact, she felt nothing. It was only a temporary relief; however, Caroline knew how dangerous the serums created by the Augustine Society could be. Whatever they were drugging her with, it couldn't be good. _

_Still, at least it was the only thing that didn't hurt. _

_Long dark ringlets came into her line of sight; Scarlett was giving her the daily dose of vervain. Caroline had no idea what her captors' names actually were, but they weren't talking to her, and she needed a way to keep them straight in her head while she still could. Rhett was the one who always tightened the restraints, Ashley could never look her in the eyes when he knocked her out to move her body, and Melanie always gave her shoulder a little squeeze when she injected her with the painless serum. _

_Notably absent was the good Doctor Wes Maxfield, but she didn't have time to dwell on why the Augustine ringleader wasn't the one conducting his freakish experiments. For all she knew, he had Stefan or Elena or Damon locked up in the cell next to hers, too drugged and numb to even scream for help. She tried _so hard _to work up the strength to call out to them, but her voice croaked, barely making a sound. _

_Scarlett's curls bounced above her, dangling over the woman's slim shoulders. She was quick and efficient, checking Caroline's pulse (it was barely beating) and tightening the restraints (how much tighter could they go?) Just as the woman pulled out a sharp scalpel to open up the vein on her right arm, her head twisted at an unnatural angle and she fell out of view, a loud thud echoing through the empty room. _

_Before Caroline could figure out what was happening, warm liquid was being forced down her throat – blood_. _The most blood she had been allowed in ages since the Society kept her just on the verge of dessication, but now the thick red liquid surged through her, filling her with a spark of life. It wasn't enough – she needed so much more. But what she got instead was the sound of the restraints being snapped and arms pulling her to her feet, steadying her as she collapsed against the body holding her up. _

"_Alright Goldilocks, easy does it…"_

_Did she know that voice? It sounded like it was a million miles away. Whatever blood had been given felt like sustenance, but it had barely brought her back from the brink. She couldn't even make out her surroundings; she just knew that she had been moved, several times, but her latest holding cell looked like an old hospital room. There's wasn't much chance to properly pay attention because the body holding her up was moving, quickly, giving up on trying to get her to walk and simply picking her up like a limp ragdoll. _

_Bright, bright sunshine came next, bursting out of the darkness and assaulting her senses. If she thought her vision was bad before, now it was practically blinded and she ached to find shelter from it. A few seconds later her wish was granted, and she was placed none too gently along a long leather seat in the back of a car. Doors opened and slammed shut, her head pounded against the loud noises, and she groaned weakly._

"_Easy blondie, just rest up. You'll be home soon."_

_She still wasn't sure who the voice belonged to. The answer danced somewhere along the edge of her mind but for now, she allowed herself to give in to the overwhelming exhaustion. For now, she slept._

* * *

><p>"Aren't you glad to see me?" Enzo's lips quirked upwards as he assessed the blonde in front of him. "You look…well."<p>

Caroline squirmed under his gaze, guilt flaring at his words. She wondered how this would look to him; her mind racing to think of why he was here and _who _he was here for. "Enzo, why are you here?" she asked again, a little more steadily.

Enzo opened his mouth to answer but caught sight of the hybrid behind her who was eyeing him with a slightly manic glint in his eyes. "Tell you what sweetheart, why don't we take a walk, I can tell you what's been going on." He raised his hand out to Caroline, but the blonde hesitated for a moment. "Come on Caroline – we've got a lot to talk about."

He stared her down intently and the young vampire cowed slightly, but her reluctance was all the encouragement that Klaus needed, striding forward and gripping her elbow, pulling back from the newcomer. "Caroline won't be going anywhere," he said gruffly, pulling himself up to full height and letting a hint of gold flash in his eyes.

"Caroline is right here," muttered the blonde, trying to shake off Klaus' hold, but he just held on tighter. "Klaus, seriously – "

"_Klaus?!" _Realization dawned on Enzo's face and he brightened like a kid on Christmas. "So this is the infamous hybrid that Damon kept telling me about. I must say mate, it's an honour."

Klaus could only stare back in suspicion and Caroline used his confusion to her advantage, finally managing to pry his arm off her. "Enzo, what are you doing here?" she asked again, more forcefully this time. Whatever he was here for, she couldn't take waiting for the axe to drop. "Is – is anyone else here too?"

Enzo took pity on her, breaking his staring contest with Klaus, "It's only me. But you should know, I'll be calling them soon."

Caroline's eyes widened, her skin ran cold and she felt like the ground had fallen out from under her. "You can't! Enzo, _please, _you have to listen to me, you can't tell them about me!"

"Goldilocks, they're worried about you. They've been worried for a _year_."

Caroline shut her eyes, trying her hardest to suppress the wave of guilt, but she could barely keep down the bile rising in her throat. "Since when do you give a damn about anybody in that town?" she snapped, hoping that if she was enough of a bitch he would give up, go home and tell them all she was the lost cause she had always been.

Enzo, to his credit, was having none of it. "Don't try that with me," he said dryly. "I consider myself a friend of Damon."

"Are you trying to tell me Damon Salvatore actually cares about what I'm doing?"

"He's forced to when his brother won't stop panicking about you."

The mention of Stefan almost brought tears to her eyes, and even Caroline was surprised at how violently she reacted to the mention of her close friend. Of all the people she had never wanted to disappoint…

"Stefan is – he's still – "

"He's spent months not knowing whether you're alive or dead," said Enzo, knowing exactly where to hit her where it hurt. "You seriously think he'd just give up on you?"

The guilt compounded tenfold. Caroline took a deep shuddering breath, and nearly choked on the hard lump in her throat. Enzo had been speaking for less than two minutes but already she wanted to sob or scream or both, but mostly she just wanted to _run _as far and as fast as she could, until she had managed to leave the weight of her guilt behind.

"Stop that Caroline." Suddenly, Klaus was next to her, his hands pulling at hers, gripping them tightly, and it took a moment for her to realize why.

Her daylight ring was no longer on her finger, but clenched in the palm of her right hand.

Carefully, and mindful of the sun's dying rays as it steadily dipped below the tops of buildings, Caroline slipped her ring back on her finger, studiously avoiding Klaus' stare though she could feel it settling on her, unwavering. There had been moments, fleeting and far in between over the last few weeks when she admitted to herself that it was a comforting feeling, but now it just made her feel raw, exposed, like he wanted to know every one of the secrets she was holding so close to her heart in an ironclad grip. The tighter she held onto them, the better chance they had of destroying her – but then, to be destroyed by her own demons was nothing she didn't deserve.

After a moment, she caught Enzo's gaze again, and he hadn't missed the movements of her hand, if the look of pity on his face was anything to go by. "We should talk, Caroline."

He was right; she knew that, no matter how much she hated it. "Fine," she muttered resignedly, but before she could leave, Klaus' hand was on her elbow once again, his lips set in a hard straight line as he locked her in his gaze. "You're not going anywhere, sweetheart." His tone brokered no room for argument.

"Klaus, let me go," Caroline said, not able to keep the exhaustion out of her tone.

"I don't know who that is," he said, pulling her closer and keeping his voice low, "But I refuse to let you go off with him in the state you're in."

"It's not your decision to make!" she snapped, regretting her tone as it only caused his grip to tighten. His stubbornness would never let up at this rate. Their stare-off would have started again if Enzo hadn't provided anther interruption.

"Mate, I would've thought you'd be a little more understanding given the circumstances."

"The _circumstances?" _Klaus bared his fangs at the dark haired interloper who was trying so hard to take Caroline away, his mind racing through the man's earlier words. Damon and Stefan had been mentioned and the pieces fell together neatly, a picture that once again, he was blind to.

"So is he also privy to your great secret?" he asked Caroline, a sneer twisting his features. "A stranger at that?"

"I'm hardly a stranger," said Enzo indignantly, which was the wrong thing to say to Klaus, the hybrid growling dangerously.

"You've been making no shortage of new _friends,_" Klaus muttered, and Caroline didn't miss the venom and jealously seeping through.

"_Seriously_ none of your business," she retorted, finally wrenching herself away with no small effort. "You don't get to act hurt because this isn't about _you!"_

"For God's sake Caroline –"

"He doesn't know?" Both Caroline and Klaus turned to see that Enzo had stepped closer, looking between the two of them in surprise. "He doesn't know you're a…."

"Klaus know about Augustine," said Caroline, shifting her weight between her feet, uncomfortable standing between the two men. "But the stuff right after that I didn't feel like discussing." Her voice dropped off at those words and her ears seemed to be ringing faintly, the effort that she had put into suppressing her worst memory now weighing down on her.

"Sweetheart…"

"Let's go, Enzo. Goodbye, Klaus."

Klaus' hand hovered mid-air where he had reached out to comfort her, but before he could touch her again, Caroline had reached a decision, because with one stern parting glance, she marched resolutely towards the gates of the courtyard, the other vampire not hesitating for a second as he followed her.

Ignoring the sharp stab of rejection, Klaus let his rage consume him; finding the nearest thing within his reach, a chair, and throwing it clear across the courtyard. Seething, he strode inside, searching for any suitable outlet that would help him forget how little he mattered when it came to the secrets of Caroline Forbes.

* * *

><p>"What the bloody hell is wrong with him?!"<p>

Rebekah flinched as another crash sounded from below; leaning far over the railing she could just glimpse her brother throwing a table into a wall. Elijah joined her not a second later, though he could offer her no answer.

"Do you see any bodies?" he asked, hoping the carnage wasn't too catastrophic.

"Must you two always assume the worst?"

Rebekah didn't bother holding in her disdain at Kol's arrival as he joined them on the landing to avoid Klaus' current tantrum.

"Enlighten us then, since you seem to be all-knowing these days," Rebekah sneered. "What happened to him?"

"Hell if I know. But considering Caroline isn't around, I'd say it's a contributing factor."

"Again with the Forbes girl?" interjected Elijah, a deep frown on his face. "How can one vampire be such a source of discord for him?"

Kol snorted, clapping Elijah on the shoulder. "Oh 'Lijah, this is what our dear brother in love looks like! Not a pleasant sight, I suppose, but at least he's not angry at _us_."

"_Love?!"_ Elijah flinched as another roar echoed off the walls, followed by some more crashing. "She's just a baby vampire, when on earth did he have time to develop _feelings_ for her?"

Rebekah snorted indelicately, "Who the hell knows, I certainly never understood it."

"Piss off Bekah, you just hate anyone who gets more attention than you," said Kol, finding himself on the receiving end of a vicious snarl as his sister struggled to get past Elijah who was now holding her back, sighing as he did.

"Enough of this; Kol, since you seem to know so much about his mood could you please _do something_ to calm it?"

"I'll try," he said with a shrug, "but I make no promises."

"We'll get out of his way." Pulling a still irate Rebekah alongside him, Elijah made his way down the stairs and out the front door, careful to avoid the raging hybrid.

Bracing himself, Kol followed his path, turning into the destroyed living room and surveying the damage. The furniture hadn't been spared, to say nothing of the paintings on the wall, some of them Klaus' own works. Speaking of his hybrid brother, he had taken his tantrum to his study and with a grimace, Kol made his way over the large doors, stepping to the doorway and finding it in a similar state of disarray.

"Christ Nik, what did she _do?" _Kol's question went unanswered as he suddenly found himself thrown across the room, slamming into the desk, sending it crashing into the floor. "_Fuck, _you bastard, what was – "

"_Enough!"_ Klaus snarled as he picked up his little brother by the throat and flashing him over to the nearest wall, pinning him against it. "I don't care what promises you've made, and I have no time to listen to your excuses."

Kol struggled under the ironclad grip, but stilled his movements when the light caught on the thin silver dagger being held against his chest. "You wouldn't," he said darkly.

"Caroline's not here to save you," muttered Klaus, pushing the dagger against Kol's chest.

"She'd never forgive you, you idiot, you know that!"

"Does it matter?" asked Klaus sardonically. "She's made it perfectly clear she doesn't give a damn what I think!"

"God, you're so bloody _stupid," _spat Kol. "This isn't even about you – "

"_THEN TELL ME_!" yelled Klaus and he shoved the blade into his brother's chest, stopping just before it sank right into his heart. Kol's face went ashen, he could feel the scrape of silver, and in that moment no promise made to Caroline mattered.

"Fine," he managed to say, with much, much effort. "_Fine_. I'll tell you what she did."

Klaus pulled the dagger out, stepping back as he watched his brother collapse against the wall, Kol stared up at him coldly, flashing to his feet. "So she _is _guilty," Klaus muttered to himself. "She did something so drastic she decided to run away with _you."_

"I'm quite good company you know," said Kol with a sneer, finding a decanter of scotch that had escaped his brother temper. Forgoing a glass, he took a swig, righting a chair and flopping down.

"What did she do, Kol?" asked Klaus. He stood rigidly in the center of the room, the dagger still clutched in his hand, preparing to hear the worst.

"Ask me a different question, brother," said Kol with a dark smile. "Ask me who she _killed_."

* * *

><p><em>Finally, the fog had cleared. <em>

_Caroline eased herself up on the unfamiliar bed; her muscles aching but her mind blessedly clear for the first time in weeks. She didn't recognize her surroundings at first, but the high wooden beams and books lining the walls clued her in; she was in Stefan's bedroom. She had no idea why she wasn't at home, but the room held the scent of her best friend, and it was no small comfort. _

_However, once the initial wave of relief had passed, Caroline felt something more pressing, a keen, gnawing hunger that was working its way up her throat. The blood bag she had been given wasn't enough, but that was reasonable, she rationalized. Whatever those jerks had done to her drained her of a lot of blood and energy, it only made sense to want more, just to get her strength back. _

_Finally having enough of just sitting in Stefan's bed, she gingerly swung her legs over the side, standing up for a moment and making sure she could actually walk without wobbling. A few hesitant steps took her out of Stefan's room and towards the large staircase where she could hear the faint murmur of voices. _

"_Grant you, Maxfield didn't keep me in a five-star hotel, but even my cell was a better option that than rat-hole they were keeping her in."_

_That was the voice of her rescuer – Enzo, Caroline realized. She knew it had been familiar. _

"_So they were moving her between old hospitals?" asked Elena, sounding absolutely exhausted. _

"_Looks like." _

"_At least Katherine's psycho daughter was good for something," said Damon, and but even his usual snark sounded tired. _

"_Nadia helped us?" Caroline couldn't help but join in the conversation, making her way down the stairs to face the Salvatores, Elena, Matt, Enzo, her mom, and Tyler. Stefan stood first, reaching her and guiding her gently towards the couch. They watched her carefully, as if they were afraid she'd shatter any minute, and Caroline wondered just how fragile she looked to them. _

_They sat in awkward silence for a moment, each one of them as worn out as the next. "So how long did they have me?" she asked tentatively._

"_About five weeks," answered Liz, looking down at her hands. _

"_What did they do to you?" asked Enzo. He was probably the only one brave enough to ask that question, the others just looked scared of whatever the answer was. _

_Caroline swallowed thickly, thinking back through the haze of the past few weeks. "They kept me down with vervain. _Lots _of it. But also…they injected me with something else. It didn't hurt, but…"_

"_Another Augustine creation, no doubt," muttered Enzo. "Some variation on their serum." _

"_What does Nadia have to do with it?" asked Caroline._

"_She hung around Mystic Falls after Katherine kicked the bucket, don't ask us why," said Damon. "She helped us track down Wes, so we finally got to take care of the dick."_

"_That must've been why the ones who had you kept moving you," Stefan guessed. "They were running scared."_

_Caroline frowned, "But why would Nadia help? After her mom died here?" _

"_Let's just be happy she did," said Elena firmly, although for some reason, she wouldn't look Caroline in the eye. _

_The mystery of Nadia's actions was pressing on her mind, but Caroline suddenly found that the aching hunger was back, the pain nearly enough to cause her to double over. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a sudden pressure against her temples, as if the haze she had been under was somehow creeping back to her. _

"_Caroline? Can you hear us?" Stefan sounded like he was a mile away when really he was kneeling in front of her, trying to pry her hands away from where she was clutching her head. "She needs blood, _now – _Damon, do you have a blood bag?"_

_A second later, Stefan had the bag in his hand and was ripping open the top, holding it to Caroline's mouth. Praying that it would abate the hunger, she snatched the blood away from Stefan and poured it down her throat, gulping it down as fast as she could. _

_But something was seriously off. The blood tasted…off, somehow, as if it had spoiled, but she knew that wasn't possible. For a second Caroline thought it had at least done the trick, but then the pounding in her head was back tenfold, the plastic slipped out of her hands as she gripped her hair, nearly tearing it out of her skull, almost screaming in frustration. _

"_Oh my god, what the hell is happening to her?" Elena asked, panicked. _

_Stefan was trying to shake her out of her stupor, but she could barely hear him through the aching in her head. "Whatever they did to her, the blood's not helping," he said helplessly as he watched Caroline double over. Desperate, he grasped her arms and wrenched them away from where she was clawing at her head but in a flash she stood and shoved him off, sending him skidding several feet._

"_Stefan!" The fact that she had managed to hurt a vampire older, stronger, and more importantly, her friend, broke through the confusion as she stared in horror at the sight of Stefan sprawled across the coffee table, an ugly gash on his head where he'd hit the corner of it. Caroline stumbled to his side, apologies falling from her lips but as she reached out to help him up, the aching intensified until she was ready to scream-_

_And then the scent hit her._

_It was like the past years had never happened and she was still that newborn vampire in a hospital bed, staring at the blood bag. The scent of blood had never been this appealing, this _tantalizing, _it couldn't hurt; one taste, just one tiny drop couldn't hurt…_

"_Caroline, you're going to kill him!" _

_Strong hands pried her away from Stefan and she thrashed against their hold before she looked down at her friend and saw the blood seeping out of the wound on her neck – the wound she had given him when she'd tried to bleed him dry. _

"_I did that?" she sobbed hysterically, feeling her legs give out under her. Damon and Enzo stepped away, helpless and wary._

"_They've screwed her up," said Enzo grimly, "turned her into a cannibal." _

"_What do we do?" asked Tyler, looking over the blonde crumpled on the floor._

"_I don't think there's anything we can do."_

"_There has to be something!" Liz Forbes, who had been watching her daughter in agony couldn't remain on the sidelines any longer, despite the warnings the others had given her. "She can be healed; she can control it, right?"_

_Liz crouched next to her daughter, pulling her into her arms as she sobbed. Stefan struggled to his feet, pressing his hand to the wound to stop the flow of blood, but he didn't know how much he was helping. _

"_You should get out of here Stefan," said Liz, holding Caroline tighter. "If she smells your blood…"_

"_She right." Damon pulled his brother back, and then corralled the rest of the vampires behind them, nudging them all towards the front door. "You too Lockwood!" he yelled at Tyler who was still watching helplessly. _

"_We can't just all leave, she needs our help!"_

"_Look man, we'll take care of her," said Matt, as reassuringly as he could, shooting a nervous glance at Caroline. "We'll try, anyway."_

_Tyler was still reluctant to leave but Damon pulled him away to join the rest of them on the front porch, and Caroline was left with Matt and Liz, her sobs dissolving into sporadic hiccups. _

"_I'm a monster," she muttered, swallowing thickly. "I was already a vampire – but now…now I'm…"_

"_Don't say that," said Matt, trying to sound calm. "You're still Caroline."_

"_He's right honey," said Liz, blinking back her own tears, "You're going to be fine, you just need to learn how to deal – "_

"_How can you say that?!" yelled Caroline, struggling to her feet and pushing herself away from her mother, "You couldn't even look at me when I first turned, and now I have even _less _control!" The pain was suddenly back tenfold, the anger making it all so much worse until there was a steady pounding in her head and she just wanted to claw out of her own skin, scratching at her arms until there were long bloody streaks, her hands stained with her own blood. _

"_Caroline, you have got to calm down or you're going to hurt yourself – just focus on us, focus on our voices –" Liz was hovering near her daughter, unsure how to comfort her but Caroline just paced the carpet like a caged animal, her arms holding her head in a vice grip, the repeating pleas not helping her harried state. _

"_Caroline – Caroline! Here, just have some more blood, you'll be fine," Matt was desperate, taking another blood bag from the cooler Damon had brought up and ripping open the top, holding it towards Caroline like Stefan had done, only this time, she knew that it would do no good. _

"_Stop it – Matt, STOP IT!" she shrieked, the pounding in her head becoming too much for her to handle. Their voices were too loud; they wished they would just be _quiet. _She just wanted to make it stop, she just wanted to be normal again, she just wanted that god-awful smell to go away…_

_She struck before she could even think about what she was doing. _

_Augustine vampires were bloodthirsty predators, susceptible to violence and unpredictable rage. They were also so much stronger than any one vampire had a right to be. The smell was gone. The voices were quiet. And two bodies lay across the room. _

"_Matt? Mom?" They were hurt. _She _had hurt them, but it was going to be okay because she was going to heal them and then she'd get the Salvatores to chain her up in their basement if she had to, but first they just had to _wake up. _The rising panic in her chest pushed through the lingering bloodlust as she put one hand against Matt's chest and felt the slow, weak beat of his heart and she let out a shuddering sigh of relief, turning to where her mother lay slumped against the stone fireplace. _

"_I'm so sorry Mom," she said in choked sob, already tearing open her wrist with her fangs so that she could heal her mother – only, the moment she tried to help Liz was when she noticed the unnatural angle her neck was at. _

"_Mommy?" It was the pathetic broken whimper of a child, but it was the only question she could ask as she gently moved to cradle her mother's head and saw that her hands came away stained with blood. _

_She screamed so loudly that she swore the rafters shook. _

"_I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm so sorry…" A litany of remorse tumbled from her lips but nothing helped and nothing could change the scene before her. Doubling over, she dry heaved, her hands cluthing her middle, Liz Forbes' blood leaving its mark all over her body. Scrambling back from the last people in the world she would ever want to hurt, the once cavernous living room of the boarding house was too small, too cramped, and too rank with the atrocity she had just committed and all she wanted was to _run, _as far and as fast as she possibly could. _

"_Caroline – Jesus Christ…" _

"_Care, are you okay?"_

"_Oh my god, Matt!" _

_Nothing her friends said was actually heard, because none of it mattered and all Caroline saw was a blur as she pushed past them and ran for the woods, the darkness growing lighter as the sun began to rise. Trees blurred past and she barely knew where she went – all she knew was that she could never go back. _

_Moment later, when she was sitting on the ground, her shaking hands sought out the ring on her left hand. It was what she deserved now, for being what she was, for doing what she did. It was easy to accept that this was the only solution. _

_Close by, a twig snapped._

* * *

><p>The silence in the apartment was a heavy one, but neither of them was going to break it first. Caroline waited to see what Enzo had to say about the life she had left behind, Enzo was wary of saying anything that could set her off on another suicidal fit. Finally, Caroline broke, her curiosity winning through.<p>

"How did you find me?" she asked quietly.

"A fluke. I decided to take a small road trip to get out of Mystic Falls for a bit and heard some rumours of a vampire in New Orleans who was ripping through other vamps. Thought I'd take my chances."

"And the others…"

"I didn't want to get their hopes up until I'd seen for myself," said Enzo, leaning back into her couch. "Gave myself a day to look around, asked around the local supernaturals and they told me that the 'rulers' of this town were harbouring some sort of new weapon – a weapon against other vampires. They told me where the bloke lived and there I was."

Caroline blanched at his tale. "They think I'm a _weapon?_" she asked quietly.

"Afraid so," said Enzo soberly. "I don't know how much time you've spent in the world of vampires, but eating your own kind…it's not exactly a common practice. That was partly why the Augustine tactics were so bloody repulsive."

It made sense really, nothing was more taboo than a cannibal and Caroline was a whole different breed of monster. The word _weapon _danced around in her head though, a weight settling in the pit of her stomach. She was Caroline Forbes, she was a cheerleader, a party-planner, a good vampire –she wasn't a _weapon._

(Except, of course, for all those times that Kol had managed to get her to use her newfound skills precisely to their advantage.)

Enzo watched Caroline carefully, watched the way she sat as still as she could but her hands fidgeted too much, disrupting the picture of composure, betraying how difficult it was for her to hold herself together. He couldn't help but admire the fact that she was still alive. "How did you manage?" he asked, leaning forward to study her.

"Kol gave me a good distraction," she said, unsure of how to explain her little road-trip to him. "He's Klaus' brother, he found me after I ran and sort of made me an offer I couldn't refuse. It's kind of complicated."

Enzo smirked, "And are you and him..."

"Oh my god, _no!_" said Caroline quickly, knowing the last thing she needed was for news to get back that she had jumped into bed with the youngest Mikaelson brother, to say nothing about what Enzo could tell her friends about Klaus' behavior towards her. "Look, Kol and I were – _investigating – _this threat. It's a long story, but basically, we're trying to prevent an apocalypse."

Enzo let out a low whistle. "Christ Goldilocks, you do not do things halfway, do you?"

Caroline ducked her head nervously, hoping Enzo didn't decide to pursue any more answers on the subject of her year-long roadtrip, but there were clearly more pressing things on his mind.

"So, what did you do about the cravings?" he asked, intent once more.

"It was…difficult," said Caroline, after a moment. "That's not true, it was really hard, especially the first week. But Kol and I worked out this system where I'd help him out of a tight spot and he'd pull me back from going on a rampage." She smiled to herself at the memory of how their little screwed up system had eventually worked out for both of them. "After a while I think he started picking fights just so I'd have vampire blood at least every two weeks."

Enzo frowned a little, "But you managed to survive off human blood?"

"It didn't satisfy the cravings but it got me through the day. If I didn't have vampire blood I don't know what I would've done though."

Enzo accepted the answer though his face was still grave. "One thing I don't understand Caroline, how the bloody hell did you manage to spend a year with a _vampire _without ripping out his throat?"

Caroline fidgeted nervously, her mouth twisting as she thought of a response. "It was weird – I think after what happened in Mystic Falls…" She gulped down a breath, forcing herself to push forward, "As time went by, I got more control. Like I said, I got vampire blood every few weeks, I had human blood more often when it stopped giving me headaches, and I think there was a part of me that knew I'd never have been to take down Kol. I snapped once though, about a month before we came here, I tried to drain him dry." It wasn't her proudest moment to date, but it wasn't something she was ready to rehash now, and thankfully Enzo just gave her an easy grin and leant back against the couch.

"Tell you what gorgeous, you've clearly had a more interesting time than the rest of us. Well done."

Caroline scoffed, "Yeah, well it wasn't a picnic."

"Better than the humdrum life of Mystic Falls though." His voice was ever so careful, and Caroline knew it was time to broach the subject she had been avoiding so pointedly throughout this entire conversation.

"How is everyone?" she asked quietly.

Enzo exhaled loudly, rolling his eyes to the ceiling as he deliberated what to tell her. Eventually, he decided to just rip of the band aid . "It's not been pleasant. No one's known whether you've been alive or dead. Your human friend – Matt – he blames himself a lot. Thinks that if he had done something differently you wouldn't have snapped."

Caroline listened with a dead weight on her chest, dropping her head into her hands. Enzo let her stew in silence for a moment before continuing, his voice more solemn than she had ever heard it. "I'll hand it to Stefan, he never gave up thinking that you were alive."

Caroline took a deep breath, finally looking up to meet Enzo in the eye. "How awful am I?" she asked warily.

"To be fair, they knew what you went through…they understand. Or they will at least, when you finally call them." Noticing the panic-stricken expression on her pale face, he backpedalled, "Or perhaps I'll make that call – let them know that you're alive, at any rate."

"No, I'll call Stefan," said Caroline immediately. "I'll just hate myself more than I already do if I avoid him now."

"For what it's worth, you're not the only problem they had, what with the elusive Miss Pierce making her way back from the dead in your friend's body."

Caroline's eyes widened into saucers, her mouth going slack-jawed. "Katherine's _alive?!" _

"Piggy-backed in dear Elena's body, from what I understand. To be quite honest, the particulars of traveler magic are irritatingly confusing so I didn't ask too many questions. She caused quite a stir amongst the Salvatore brothers though; I had to pick Damon up out of a bender or two."

"But Elena – "

"Is now back in possession of her body and worried about her dear missing friend," said Enzo, rolling his eyes, "well, when she's not drowning herself in self-doubt over her choice in men."

Caroline groaned, rubbing her temples for a moment, "Seriously, I leave for _one year _and this is what happens?"

"Come on gorgeous, you and I both know your lovely friends aren't the most capable lot," Enzo said with a wink.

"Shut up," she shot back half-heartedly. They lapsed into silence again, Caroline thinking over everything she had missed, everything that they had to go through because of her. "I miss them," she finally admitted and looked up, meeting Enzo's sympathetic smile.

"Chin up soldier," he told her firmly, and Caroline nodded, knowing that what had to happen next could wait until morning.

"I'll call home tomorrow but I need some sleep first," she said, standing up and walking over to the door, expecting Enzo to follow. Instead, he kicked up his feet on the coffee table and grinned.

"As it happens, I didn't have the time to secure accommodations, what with my hope that I could deliver you back into the arms of your loved ones …"

Caroline just sighed tiredly, trudging over to her room. "You can take the spare bedroom but I get first dibs on the shower!" she called out behind her. Entering her room, she closed the door and leant back against the wood. Her home, her friends, she had tried _so hard _to bury everything that had happened, but now it was all out in the open, unavoidable no more.

"Chin up," she muttered to herself. "You still have work to do."

* * *

><p>First and most important fact: there was no dagger in his chest.<p>

It didn't really matter that the house was a mess or disturbingly silent – for once, his bastard brother had held off on stuffing him in a coffin and Kol was going to take what he got and not look a gift horse in the mouth, lest he end up like Nik's actual horse all those centuries ago, courtesy of Mikael. Rebekah and Elijah were nowhere to be heard and he wondered if they had even come home last night, fearing their brother's volatile temper, but as long as they were out of his hair he didn't mind.

As for the hybrid himself, Kol could hear pacing footsteps in the art studio; he was clearly still running over the story that had been relayed to him. Deciding to leave Klaus to it, Kol made his way out of the house as quietly as he could, relaxing in the bright sun shining down on New Orleans, the easy pace of the city at midday removing him, albeit momentarily, from the persistent darkness that hung over his family's home.

Originals were spared the annoyance of hangovers, and considering he and Nik had actually managed to empty the bourbon stash at their house last night, he set his sights on Rousseau's to quench his thirst, both for blood and alcohol. The thought of the bar reminded him of the bartender, which in turn reminded him of his favourite blonde, who would almost definitely have some issues with his breach of her confidence.

God, she would be _pissed. _Kol could practically hear her voice in his head; making him swear on the graves of the parents he didn't even like that he would keep her secret. Still at least he could prolong the inevitable with a stiff drink.

Rousseau's was in sight when a cold chill ran down his back. Freezing in step, Kol narrowed his eyes and scanned his surroundings, noting every person on the sidewalks, watching each of them carefully. Most were humans going about their day, some simply milled outside the bars, but a thousand years was long enough for his senses to be heightened – it was long enough to recognize the feeling of being watched. He nearly snarled in the middle of the street, his watcher should know just what they were dealing with. Whipping his head around, he still couldn't identify who was watching him, if anyone actually was.

Cursing in his head, he realized that the only way to allay his paranoia would be to consult the most paranoid person he knew.

"Nik," he snarled into his phone, "I'm standing at the corner of Bourbon and Dumaine. I think someone's following me."

They hadn't always been the closest of siblings (no thanks to his brother's penchant for daggers and coffins), but they had lived long enough to have wordless plans, knowing what to do in every possible situation, especially when the danger of being tailed was involved. Which is why, after spending no more than five minutes leaning against one of the brick walls lining the street, he was met with the sight of Klaus marching towards him. His brother met his gaze and shook his head quickly. It was an old signal, one that meant he had found no threat nearby.

"You're sure someone was after you?" Klaus asked seriously.

"No, I'm not sure," muttered Kol, agitated. "If I was, I would've snapped the bastard's neck by now!"

Klaus just rolled his eyes, easing his tense stance. "You're slipping brother," he taunted, "are you sure the years haven't just taken a toll on you?"

Kol sneered, shrugging off his brother's jibe but not the lingering feeling that something was wrong. "Perhaps Caroline was right," he remarked, knowing that was enough to grab his brother's attention.

Klaus's head snapped up, the tension returning almost immediately. Pulling out his phone, he quickly dialed one of the vampires he had watching Caroline's apartment. "Vincent, has there been any suspicious activity over there?" he asked quickly.

"_Nothing out of the ordinary, but…" _The poor vampire was reluctant to continue, but Klaus had no time for his reticence.

"Spit it out," he growled.

"_There was a man with her – tall, dark hair – but he was talking with her, she seemed to know him. He stayed the night."_

Klaus jammed his finger on the phone to end the call, his temper rising. Whoever this Enzo was, she had let him stay with her, _all night, _a privilege she was clearly not willing to offer him at the moment. If there was any feasible way to go back to the moment in the forest when he had made that bloody promise to stay away, he would've had every witch in the city working towards sending him back, because clearly the dynamics of Mystic Falls had changed.

"What's got you in a mood?" asked Kol, watching his brother's mood blacken with a quirked brow. "Is this about Caroline's new friend?"

Klaus just growled, stalking off towards Rousseau's, barely noticing when Kol fell into step beside him.

"I doubt you've got anything to worry about, she didn't mention the name 'Enzo' at all during the last year," said Kol cheerily. "I'm sure there's no competition."

His attempt at being helpful was ignored, however, as Klaus marched inside Rousseau's, which was empty this early in the day. Only the bartender was there, and he strode up to the bar, startling Camille with the deep scowl on his face. "Have you seen anything suspicious over the past few days?"

"And good morning to you to," she joked half-heartedly, but wilted under the severity of his stare. "Jesus, sorry, no I haven't seen anything weird – I mean nothing weirder than usual. Oh, but there was this guy in here yesterday, he was asking about a girl named Caroline, but I wasn't sure if it was the same Caroline that you two knew – "

"It was," muttered Klaus. "So you've seen nothing unusual?"

"To be fair Nik, if someone were stalking us I don't think they'd take the time to pop in for a drink," said Kol. He remained glib, always determined to be flippant when his brother was in a mood, but he couldn't help but scan the bar, taking note of every empty corner, satisfied that there was not a soul to be suspicious of.

"I want to double the patrols around the city," said Klaus determinedly, shooing away Camille. Calling Marcel, he waited impatiently for his former protégé to answer, but was met with voicemail, and a second and third attempt yielded similar results. "Fuck," he muttered, "What the bloody hell is wrong with him?"

Snorting, Kol shot his brother a look of disbelief. "You're thick aren't you? Do you seriously think he'll be taking your calls after last night?"

Klaus couldn't help but acknowledge the truth behind Kol's words, even as he glared at him. Dialing a different number, he waited for an answer before barking instructions. "Hayley, I want a thorough canvass of the bayou, spread the wolves out across the entire perimeter and look for anything even remotely suspicious." He didn't wait for an answer, simply hanging up and accepting the glass of bourbon Camille had placed before him.

"I'm glad you managed to find some use for the wolf girl after all," said Kol sardonically, "Can't say I found her the brightest bulb in the box."

"You barely know her," said Klaus, though he made no other defense.

"Ah, but you're forgetting again, dear brother, the Other Side provided a first-row seat to _everything." _

Klaus was spared the indignity of hearing any more of Kol's opinions on some of his less thought out life-choices, as they were interrupted by the bright sound of a familiar voice as two people came through the bar's front door. Caroline looked well-rested, but she carried herself differently, more guarded, like she was prepared to do battle. Her companion – _Enzo – _was much more carefree, taking in the bar with an easy grin, which widened upon noticing both Mikaelsons.

"Is everyone in this town a day-drinker then?" he asked as they met him in the middle, "Sounds like my kind of place."

"You again?" asked Klaus, haughty as possible. The younger vampire simply smiled, completely unaffected.

"Me again," he said with a nod. The two stared each other down silently, waiting for the other to make a move, before an exasperated sigh broke the tension.

"Oh my god, are you two _seriously _going to do this?" Caroline scanned their surroundings, and after she was absolutely satisfied that there weren't any humans tucked away in the booths, she turned to the bartender who was watching them all nervously. "Could you just give us five minutes?" she asked, sweetly enough, but with a practiced edge that meant it was more of an order than a request.

Camille nodded quickly and made her way to the back room, leaving Caroline to referee the ridiculous staring contest Enzo and Klaus had gotten themselves into. "Done yet?" she asked flatly.

Klaus turned towards Caroline, looking her over carefully, the story Kol told him playing on repeat in his mind. She looked so calm now, but Klaus's imagination ran rampant, he saw her scared and bloodstained, delirious from torture and sobbing over her mother's corpse. He wanted to comfort her, to reassure her, to tell her that he _finally _understood – that finally, she would receive the compassion she deserved.

"Caroline, can I have a word?" he asked, stepping towards her and holding out a hand. Caroline glanced between his outstretched palm and his face, her face betraying her hesitation. "Please?" he insisted, stepping closer still.

"Can't it wait?" Caroline asked, gulping nervously. Enzo had dragged her out of her apartment, demanding he be allowed to actually enjoy the French Quarter, but now she regretted not just letting him explore it on his own. Klaus's gaze bore into her and all she could think about was her cellphone burning a hole in her pocket, and her promise to herself that she would finally contact her friends. But Klaus's persistence meant he was probably going to ask her more questions about Enzo, about the past, and she didn't know how long she could keep him at bay.

Enzo was watching her carefully over Klaus's shoulder, but Caroline shook her head just a fraction. The last thing this situation needed was a stake in someone's heart. "Klaus, I'm sure it can wait," she said again, but her own voice sounded weak to her ears.

"It really can't, sweetheart," said Klaus, closing his eyes for brief moment, before looking back at her with no small amount of sorrow. "I know Caroline – I know what happened. I'm so sorry about your Mother."

They all held a breath. Caroline stepped back from Klaus, feeling as if someone had physically punched her in the gut. A small voice in the back of her head told her that there was something very – _irrational – _about how she was feeling, Enzo's mere presence had her facing the truth just last night. But somehow, having Klaus stare at her with _pity_…it was different. It made it all so much more real.

It made her _angry_.

"How could you?" she whispered, her hands curling into fists. Klaus frowned at her sudden hostility, but Caroline was no longer looking at him – she was looking behind him to the only person who could've told him the whole story.

"Easy Sweets," said Kol darkly. He leant against the bar-top, regarding Caroline with narrowed eyes and offered no defense for his actions. "He had to find out sooner or later, and your sad attempts to keep things to yourself were only driving you to the brink. Besides," he jerked his head towards Klaus, "you think he wasn't going to force the story out of one of us sooner or later?"

Caroline just shook her head, tuning out any truth behind Kol's words. "That still gave you no right! You swore you'd keep it quiet!"

"Don't be naïve, Caroline." A sneer twisted his face, unpleasant and ugly, but it matched Caroline's look of contempt and betrayal.

"Go to hell," she said, her voice low. Turning on her heel, she faced Enzo, who had an unspoken question in his eyes. She simply shook her head and took off, hoping that he'd be fine on his own.

It took only a second for Klaus to follow Caroline out the door, barely sparing his brother a backwards glance. Kol cursed under his breath, fighting the urge to put his fist through the counter. He was agitated, he was _angry _that he was agitated – he prided himself on being significantly more aloof than his thick-headed siblings.

"You look like you need a drink."

Kol turned to face the stranger; Caroline's mysterious friend who had remained calm throughout the blonde's spat. "You're not going after her?" he asked sardonically.

Enzo shrugged, hopping onto one of the barstools. "Your brother, Klaus – I have a feeling that's not a conversation I'll be wanting to get in the middle of, not yet, anyway. I'll wait and see if she comes back crying."

"God, don't tell me you're after her too?"

"Hardly, but we do have something in common – the Augustine Society, so you can see where I might be a little concerned."

Kol's eyebrows shot up as he looked over this stranger. He didn't seem like a significant threat,but then, neither did Caroline. Keeping an eye on him, he hopped over the counter, and grabbed the most expensive bottle of bourbon Camille had stocked, pulling out two glasses and pouring them both a generous amount.

"Kol Mikaelson," he said by way of introduction, raising his glass.

The other vampire mirrored the gesture. "Enzo," he said with a grin. "Nice to meet you."

* * *

><p>Caroline hadn't managed to get very far, dropping down onto a bench on Chartres Street, just outside Jackson Square. Laughter floated through the air, families and tourists paused to take in the art on sale from the locals, all those people with normal human lives who had never killed and likely never would, who were so carefree that it almost calmed her down a little. Almost.<p>

She dropped her head into her hands, already regretting blaming Kol for how shitty she felt. He could only keep quiet for so long, she _knew_ that, but having Klaus know the truth felt all wrong, somehow. It meant more people knew what she had done, and it made it so much harder to run away.

"Penny for your thoughts, love?"

"Not sure they're worth that,"

Caroline didn't have to look up to know Klaus was hesitating, but eventually he took a seat next to her, close enough that he pressed into her side, making her feel warm, shoulder to thigh. She kept her face hidden for a moment more, but apparently the hybrid had had enough of her hiding away from him.

"Look at me, sweetheart." It was a command, not a request, and Caroline could tell he was close to losing control again. He squeezed her shoulder, pulling her back enough so that she had to turn and look at him, faced again with that_ pity. _She hated it. It was entirely undeserved.

"What do you want me to say?" Caroline asked, warily.

The muscles in Klaus's jaw twitched as he sought the right words; "I just – I want to know why you couldn't tell me. Caroline, this wasn't down to you!"

She laughed bitterly, pulling away and letting his hand fall limply to his side. "Not down to me? Klaus, _I killed her. _She hit her head so hard, she didn't even have a chance –" Caroline's voice broke, and she choked down a sob, before taking a deep breath. "I killed _my mother. _Don't ever tell me I shouldn't feel responsible."

"But you were out of control!"

"I shouldn't have been!" Mindful of the innocent tourists milling about, Caroline kept her voice as even as she could, but there was no way to keep the bitterness out of it. "Ever since I became a vampire, it was all about how _in control _I was, Caroline was the _control-freak, _Caroline had the best _control _over her cravings, and then the one day I needed it the most, I was _useless!"_

"You are not useless, Caroline," Klaus growled, having had more than enough of her self-loathing. It was one thing to hear it from others, to say nothing of the centuries he had spent hating himself. But hearing it from Caroline was almost perverse. She was trembling, her lips pursed, her knuckles white as she gripped the back of the bench, all tell-tale signs of someone close to their breaking point and Kol's words echoed in his head, a dark warning of just how deep her own self-hate ran.

'_When I first met her, she was ready to pull that ring off.'_

He could never let her get that far again.

"I should've stayed away from them. If I had just been thinking straight, I would've run as soon as I was strong enough, I was too much for Stefan and Damon, why did I think I wouldn't hurt my mom and Matt?!" Caroline was pulling away even further, standing from the bench and running a hand through her hair. "I was an idiot. I couldn't avoid it forever."

"You were guilty when you had no reason to be," Klaus insisted, rising with her and curling an arm around her elbow, spinning her to face him.

"_Stop _telling me that!" Caroline yelled, trying futilely to yank her arm away. If she had to face her past, she didn't want him breathing down her neck, telling her what a misunderstood saint she was. "My mom is dead because of me, Matt's been blaming himself and I need to take responsibility – "

"You need to understand this wasn't your fault!"

"I've become a _weapon!"_

It was too much for Klaus, in that moment, to hear the one person in his life who could be considered _'good' _break into pieces. It was a selfish, and almost impossible wish, but the hope that one day Caroline would be the sliver of light in his life to help dispel his demons had grown into a desperate need, ever since she had stepped into that cavern underneath the cemetery. He wanted her innate light back, and she had to know that she was a far cry from the monster she kept imagining herself to be.

She had to know how much he needed her.

Since his words were useless, then he'd simply have to take action. Driven purely on instinct, he let go of her arm to cup her jaw, staring into her shocked gaze for just a second before leaning down and capturing her lips with his. They were as sweet and addictive as he remembered, and it was a taste he had been deprived off for two years, so he took every advantage of the moment, hoping that Caroline knew exactly what he was trying to prove to her.

It took a moment for Caroline to regain her senses, the feeling of Klaus pressing against her short-circuiting her brain, but as soon as she knew what she was doing, she had ripped herself away from him, staring up at the hybrid with wide, stunned eyes. Raising a shaking hand to her lips, she looked away before meeting his pleading stare, but neither said a word. The silence stretched on for a beat and Caroline could _see _the hurt seeping into his eyes at her hesitance.

"You shouldn't have done that," she whispered, half to herself. It was too much; too soon, it was something she had spent so long suppressing that it overloaded her mind. "I'm sorry," she managed to say, just before turning on her heel, and flashing away.

_Who needs all the answers?  
>Who takes all the chances?<br>Who said the truth's gonna save you?  
>When the truth can be dangerous<em>

* * *

><p><strong>And that's the chapter. Poor Caroline's got a lot on her plate, but there's still a ways to go. And hopefully all the liberties I took with canon made sense, I'll be slipping in a few more details as things move forward. Please do leave a review, let me know what you think!<strong>

**Chapter title and song lyrics are from 'Dangerous to Know' by Hilary Duff. **

**Hope you liked it, and have a great weekend!**


	10. You're Gonna Go Far Kid

**Author's Note: It turns out, I didn't die. But I did lose inspiration due to certain storylines and the almost complete lack of Klaroline in both shows. Still, thanks to some prodding from a few amazing people I managed to write this, and I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

* * *

><p><em>Show me how to lie<br>You're getting better all the time  
>And turning all against the one<br>Is an art that's hard to teach  
>Another clever word<br>Sets off an unsuspecting herd  
>And as you step back into line<br>A mob jumps to their feet_

_I kissed Klaus. _

The mantra played in her head, over and over and over like a broken record, _IkissedKlausIkissedKlausIkissedKlaus. _Or, did he kiss her? Was there a difference?

She'd stopped him. She hadn't wanted to.

But then she'd run and now she wasn't sure what she was more guilty over, the kiss or running away. Caroline owed him so much more than this cowardice, she _knew_ that, she knew that at the very least, she should have stayed and talked to him. But that was sane, rational thinking, and right now, Caroline wasn't sure she could conjure the energy to think straight.

After wandering down random streets for ten minutes, she finally mustered up the presence of mind to recognize that roaming around New Orleans by herself was almost certainly a stupid idea. She changed course to double back to her apartment, and despite the broad daylight she shivered, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

Over years of being involved in supernatural power struggles, this was a feeling she'd become familiar with.

The feeling of being followed.

Her hand dived for the phone in her pocket immediately and she was five seconds into finding his number that she realized she couldn't possibly call Klaus for help, not after what happened. Kol was next, but she had left him with Enzo and the last thing she needed was to deal with both of them interrogating her.

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears but she didn't call for help, forcing her pace to remain steady, apartment in sight. If she could just make it home –

When had this tiny apartment in a strange city become _home_?

That didn't matter, she couldn't let herself spiral into self-pity, it was pointless and so far, it had only caused her to make the wrong decisions. She just had to make it home.

Steps away from the building's entrance, Caroline half-sprinted inside, heaving a sigh of relief when no one grabbed her back or tried to attack. Was it possible she'd imagined that feeling?

God, now she doubted her own instincts.

For the past year, every little part of herself that she'd fought so hard to hold onto had slipped through her fingers one by one until she wasn't even sure that the Caroline Forbes of Mystic Falls was still in her.

_Screw that. _She was still Miss Mystic Falls, still the girl who loved her friends and had control and tried _so hard _to be the one. And in times of crisis, that girl always knew how to come out on top.

First thing's first. She needed a list.

Ten minutes later and she had all of two things written down:

_1) Call Stefan_

_2) Apologize to Klaus_

It was debatable on which one was harder. She could've made a full pros and cons list on the repercussions of both, but that was stalling and Caroline had spent enough time doing that. Besides, only one of those things had been put off for an entire year.

Her breaths turned shallow as the number rang, fighting the monumental urge to throw the phone as far away as possible. But she held on for seconds that dragged on like hours until finally, someone picked up.

"_Caroline?!"_

"Hi Stefan." Her own voice sounded tiny and far away like she was hearing it through a long tube.

"Are you okay?! Where have you been, we've been trying to find you but we had no leads, we didn't know where to look…"

Stefan trailed off but his desperation was palpable, and Caroline choked back a sob, tampering down her shame so that she didn't hang up the call just to avoid facing this head on.

"I'm sorry, Stefan," she finally managed to say. "I'm so sorry."

"Caroline, are you _alright?_" His voice was steadier but Caroline didn't know how to begin her answer.

"I'm managing," she said carefully. "Things have been difficult but I've gotten a lot better."

"That's…that's good. That's really good."

They fell into an awkward silence but Caroline felt herself smiling softly, not realizing how much she'd missed Stefan's reassurance. He'd taught her to be strong when she'd first turned, whenever she lost control now, it was like she was letting him down every time.

"How is everything?" she asked, unsure if she even wanted the answer.

"We're good. You should know, something happened with Elena and Katherine-"

"I know, Enzo told me."

"Enzo found you?!"

"Just yesterday."

"He didn't say anything," Stefan muttered and Caroline was reminded that in the short time she'd been there, Stefan and Enzo had barely gotten along.

"I made him promise not to call you, and he made me promise that I would."

Stefan let out a ragged sigh on the other end of the line, and Caroline could sense him trying to form words. "Caroline, if you want to know – we buried your mom. She's next to your grandparents. They dedicated a bench in the town square to her. I don't know if that's what you wanted –"

"It's perfect Stefan," Caroline said quietly, blinking back tears. "Thank you for everything."

"You can see it for yourself when you come home."

The penny dropped, and she steeled herself for what she had to tell him. "Stefan, I know this doesn't make any sense, and I owe you so much, but I'm not coming home."

"Caroline, you were tortured and hurt, what happened was not your fault –"

"I know, Stefan," she interrupted. It had been drilled into her over the past few days, and it was something else she had Klaus to thank for. "It's just really complicated. There are a lot of things going on, I can't come home."

"Caroline, you've been gone an entire year and we've had no clue where you were or if you were even _alive. _Please, just come home, be with the people who care about you?"

"_Is that Caroline?!__" _

She barely had time to register the other voice in the background before Stefan was protesting loudly and another familiar voice greeted her.

"Blondie, where the fuck have you been?"

"Hi Damon," Caroline replied with a wince. This was one reunion she hadn't thought about too much, except to hope she could put it off as long as possible. "How are you?"

"Screw you Barbie, do you know the hell we've been through cleaning up your mess?!"

"_Damon, you__'re not helping!"_

"Just let me yell at her a little Stefan!" Damon snapped and there were sounds of a scuffle before he continued. "Do you have any idea what your stunt has been doing to us? Elena's been out of her mind because of you!"

_Elena, Elena, Elena_, Caroline missed her friend and wanted nothing more than to apologize for everything, but she couldn't help but roll her eyes over how transparent Damon was. It was always about Elena. It made her angry again, defensive.

"Damon, you don't understand what's been going on, I _couldn__'t _come home!"

"Oh yeah? Maybe I should get Donovan on the phone. You know how much he blames himself for everything that happened? Not to mention you did a number on him, and we all know how he feels about taking vampire blood."

The blood in Caroline's veins ran cold and the thought of sweet, innocent Matt enduring pain and injury was like taking a stake to the chest. "How is he?"

"Do you care?"

"_Damon!__" _

There was a loud crashing sound on the other line, and after much muttered cursing, she heard Stefan again.

"Matt's fine, Care. It was touch and go, and he didn't want blood but his injuries were – they were really bad. Elena and Bonnie managed to convince him it was a good idea. He's doing a lot better now."

"Why did Damon say he blames himself?" Caroline asked hollowly.

Stefan gulped audibly, searching for the words. "He thinks he should've been able to talk you down. We've told him about Augustine and how you had no control…"

"There's nothing he could've done to stop me. Not unless he wanted to die too."

They dropped into another awkward silence, neither sure what to say. After spending so much time in self-imposed exile, her mind raced with everything she'd learnt about her friends and her home. It seemed like so long ago, like she'd been gone for a decade instead of just a year.

"I'm not ready to go back, Stef," she said quietly. "I'm sorry, I have to stay in New Orleans."

The slip was out just as she realized what she'd done. "You're in New Orleans?" Stefan asked, cautiously.

"_She__'s been living it up in New Orleans while we've been dealing with her shit over here?!"_

"Damon, _shut up. _Caroline, what are you doing there?"

"It's really complicated Stefan," she said, sounding pathetic even to herself.

"Caroline…if you're near the French Quarter…"

The implication hung in the air and there was no way to ignore it. After a year of running, this was one truth she could at least give them. "The Mikaelsons are here. And I guess I'm…helping them."

"_So you ran to the Big Bad Wolf. Nice, Blondie, real nice.__"_

"_Get out, _Damon!" Stefan's order finally landed and she could hear Damon's swearing in the background slowly get fainter. "Caroline, _what_ is going on that we can't help you too?"

It was a long story but she could give it to them if she wanted to, if she was brave enough. But the thought of them falling victim to a war between crazy vampires or a doomsday cult wasn't something she could have on her conscience, and there was no decision to make.

"I can't tell you Stefan, but I want you to tell everyone how much I love them…and tell them how sorry I am. I'm going to come home. But not for a while."

"Caroline, _please-_"

"Bye Stefan." She ended the call, shaking slightly. Her breaths were ragged, slowly turning into harsh sobs, and she flung her phone to the farthest corner of the bedroom. Self-pity had taken up too much of her time, but right now, she just wanted to wallow in solitude, if only for a little while.

Action would come later. There was still one more item on the list.

* * *

><p><em><strong>REDDING, CALIFORNIA<br>JULY 2014**_

_Caroline woke up with a jolt. She wasn__'t sure what it was, but the edges of a nightmare slipped away from her, something involving her mother's voice. She took a breath, trying to forget and swung her legs over the bed, pushing herself up and making her way over to the bathroom. _

_Her hands searched the far wall, finally finding the light switches, and she flicked one on, wincing when she missed the bathroom__'s and accidentally turned on the harsh overhead lighting. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, waiting for Kol's complaining, but surprisingly nothing came. That was weird, Kol had made it very clear what happened to anyone who interrupted his 'beauty sleep', and she had the memories of some wicked bruises to prove it. _

_A vampire couldn__'t die in his sleep, right? _

_Caroline was fully awake then, remembering all those times Kol had passed out and she wondered if whatever dark magic the Silas cult used had finally caught up with him. _

_In the few seconds it took to put all of this together, Caroline flashed over to the side of the motel room__'s second bed, realizing that she had been entirely wrong. _

_Kol hadn__'t woken up because Kol wasn't there at all. _

_Dammit, if that asshole was gone in the middle of the night that meant somebody out there was probably being drained of blood at this very moment, and she couldn__'t resist the nagging urge to do _something.

_On went her most comfortable pair of jeans and a sweatshirt from a tourist trap back in Oregon, and she stepped outside of the motel room, listening carefully for any signs of a struggle. There were nothing but crickets in the distance and the faint buzz of the vacancy sign. She knew that they were supposed to be lying low, but she had to talk to Kol about staying at decent accommodations. Three stars at least. _

_Speaking of the Original, he was nowhere to be found. And neither was the car. _

_Caroline would__'ve been a lot more worried if it wasn't for the fact that she'd loaded a tracking app on her phone ages ago. The little red flag on the map told her that he was just on the edge of the city limits, but how to get there?_

"_Hey babe, you lookin' for a good time?"_

Ugh. _The motel attendant who wouldn__'t stop staring at her chest when checking them in was apparently not very good at his job if the bottle of beer in his hand was anything to go by._

"_Did you see the guy I was staying with leave?" she asked, annoyed. _

"_Yeah, he took off about half an hour ago. He leave you all alone?" _

_It was late and Caroline didn__'t have the patience necessary to deal with this shit. "Give me your car keys and go back to work," she said steadily, compulsion taking hold. _

_Ten minutes later (too long in a car that smelled like the underpass of a bridge), she pulled up in front of a large, darkened building. Her phone told her it was some kind of sports facility, the broken glass and busted open front door told her Kol was definitely here. _

_Glass crunching underfoot, Caroline walked around the building, listening carefully. She could hear a rhythmic __'thwack' coming from somewhere and she followed the sound around the back, finding a row of batting cages. She faintly remembered Elena mentioning Kol had a thing for baseball bats__ – honestly, she couldn__'t really blame anyone wanting to take a bat to Damon's head._

_Kol was there in one of the cages but he didn__'t bother acknowledging her. Caroline sighed and walked forward before the faint smell of blood alerted her to the security guard who was slumped against the wall. Cursing, she flashed over, checking for a pulse and finding a very weak one. Ripping into her wrist, she made sure some blood got down the guy's throat before leaving him there and making her way over to Kol. _

"_You left this one alive, sure you're not going soft?" she called out, twining her fingers through the chainlink and leaning against the cage. _

"_Perhaps I was saving some for later," he said finally, still not bothering to look at her. He was completely focused and Caroline knew that not killing this victim wasn't some act of kindness; he just couldn't care either way. He'd been stressed lately, less carefree and more like his older brother, prone to broodiness. He'd probably snap her neck if she said it out loud though. _

"_Are you coming back anytime soon?" she asked, and his response was to hit another ball, sending it soaring through the air until she couldn't see it anymore. _

_Caroline didn__'t know if he was venting or what, but it was the middle of the night and he wasn't the only one feeling the stress of getting nowhere and wanting answers. _

_Kol hit another ball and was about to swing again before a small hand caught the bat and he realized Caroline was right beside him. __"What, you think you're the only one who's got problems?" she asked, daring him to challenge her. _

_Raising an eyebrow skeptically (he didn__'t think manicures went well with sports), he handed over the bat and stepped back. Caroline didn't hesitate, taking a stance and when the ball came at her, she swung perfectly. _

_The sound of metal hitting ball was satisfying and Caroline couldn__'t help but smile widely as she landed another hit, and then another and another. Kol whooped behind her, clapping slowly in admiration when the balls finally stopped and she lowered the bat, flushed, and grinning widely. Kol may have been the one brooding but Caroline hadn't realized how much she needed this, to vent out the stress, to take out her frustrations and just_ hit_ something. _

"_You know, I think you're onto something." Caroline turned to face Kol who looked like like he'd finally managed to snap back to his old self. _

"_Obviously, darling. I'm much more than a pretty face." _

_Caroline snorted, __"So can we please go back so that I can actually get some sleep?"_

"_Sure you don't want a snack?" he asked, nodding to where the still-unconscious guard lay. Narrowed eyes were all the answer he got and he just laughed in her face. "Fine goody-two shoes, how about we see how good you are against an actual pitcher?"_

* * *

><p>"It's a tragedy, isn't it mate? The fleeting, fickle nature of romance?"<p>

Klaus knocked back some more liquor, watching the young man sitting in the booth with him fidget nervously. The underground club he'd chosen was loud, dark, and growing even more crowded by the minute as the night dragged on, and he looked forward to a larger pool of victims, a bigger audience to the havoc he was itching to cause.

For now though, his focus was on the young couple he'd compelled to join him in one of the booths tucked away along the back wall. They'd wandered in earlier, obviously smitten with each other, and too wrapped up in the throes of love to notice the monster who decided he loathed them on sight.

"Tell me, do you see a future here? A marriage, a life, every moment spent side by side?"

They were compelled to stay still, but their fear was palpable. "Please don't hurt us," the girl whispered.

Klaus wagged a finger at her like he was scolding a child, "Now love, that didn't answer the question."

She gulped, but nodded slowly. "We're getting married in five months."

Klaus threw back his head and laughed like he'd heard the funniest joke in the world, letting his victims' discomfort grow until it was almost tangible. When he finally stopped, still chuckling lightly, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and faced the couple, his smirk curling into something sharp and feral.

"Such deluded fools. Tell you what though," he leaned closer to them, capturing their gazes. "I'll make it easier on you. Save you from the inevitable fallout as you both eventually come to despise each other – because that's how it always goes, doesn't it?"

"Look man, just let us go, there are people watching," the man pleaded, and Klaus would have admired his bravery more if the fear didn't roll off him in waves.

"Don't worry about them, they'll have their turn. Now, why don't you both save yourselves a lifetime of misery and see who can strangle the other first?"

The compulsion took hold and Klaus tuned out the sounds of their struggle, choosing instead to drown himself in drink and fight down the memory of the blonde vampire who was the cause of this little episode.

_You shouldn__'t have done that. _

Her words played on a torturous loop in his head, taunting him with what he'd had a taste of before it was so hastily ripped away. Caroline was fighting no shortage of demons but he wondered if it wasn't time to let her deal with them on her own, since that was what she was so clearly asking for.

Pitiful blubbering drew his attention and he turned to see the young bride-to-be sobbing over the body of her now dead fiancé, his body limp next to hers, large bruises on his neck. Klaus rolled his eyes at the display, "Don't worry sweetheart, in time, you would have appreciated the good I've done you."

Through her grief, the girl managed to pick up on the Klaus' words. "_Would have?__" _

Klaus smiled dryly, giving no warning before he lunged forward and his teeth were embedded in her neck, drinking and draining without caring about finesse or seduction. His anger demanded to be unleashed and these two wouldn't be the first, nor the last.

Once the girl was drained and dead, he pushed her away, letting her slide to the floor of the booth, her boyfriend following. The staff would take care of them – or not, he couldn't be too bothered.

Nor was he going to be too bothered about his big brother standing over the table.

"Can I get you a drink, Elijah?"

Elijah's sigh was so weary it was almost comical. "You might at least thank me for cleaning up your messes." _Again, _he muttered so quietly that it might not have been said at all.

Klaus just waved him off, taking another swig. "I'm not in the mood," he muttered darkly.

Elijah opened his mouth to argue but apparently thought better of it. Instead, he sat down, letting his brother stew in silence as he waved over a trio of lackeys who had been standing at attention. They wordlessly attended to the corpses, another flitted through the crowd, compelling every human to ignore what they saw. Any vampires there would hardly need encouragement to keep their mouths shut.

The two Originals remained quiet, Klaus stuck in his own head, Elijah keeping one ear open to the conversations buzzing around them. They were out of sight from most, but it would have been impossible for any supernatural to ignore what had happened, and the gossip flew freely. His brother's mood was too black for him to notice, but Elijah knew well enough that kingdoms weren't sustained on ignorance of scandal.

The vampire in charge of compulsion was waved over, Elijah composing a perfect poker face. "What are they saying?"

"Only that Klaus is in a bad mood…they think something's gone wrong with his weapon."

At the last word, Klaus's head snapped up, eyes narrowing on the messenger, "What _weapon?_"

"Th-the girl. The one who kills other vampires."

"Thank you, that will be all. Keep near the entrance, take care of any newcomers." Elijah waved him off before Klaus could kill the poor boy on impulse, turning over the information in his head. How this story of Caroline Forbes being his brother's weapon had started, he had no clue, nor how anyone could believe it to be true. Five minutes around the two and it was clear Klaus had next to no control over the girl, even as young as she was. It was becoming a grave nuisance.

"As if I would need _weapons,__" _Klaus muttered petulantly. "Such idiots."

"Yes, well, they need some way to explain your current state," Elijah muttered disparagingly. He made no secret of his distaste for how Klaus let himself be so distracted by one girl that he ignored the now tenuous hold their family had on the city, a hold that had been perfectly strong until Caroline and Kol had marched into the city with tales of a cults and doom.

"I take it you had a spat with Ms. Forbes then?"

A low growl was all the answer he got.

"Lost her forever have we?"

"_I never had her!"_ Klaus spat, flinging the bottle in front of him across the room, barely noticing the scattered screams as it shattered against a wall.

"Well that was a waste," Elijah responded dryly, waving over a waitress for another bottle.

Klaus ignored his brother's obvious scorn, fixated on going over every interaction he and Caroline had shared over the past week. He had thought, sometimes…but he'd been wrong. Wrong and foolish and he almost hoped that she'd come to him for help simply so that he could laugh in her face.

Was it petty; was it cruel, given what she'd faced? Possibly. Still, she had no shortage of people who she'd rather tell her problems to, so perhaps it was time to step back.

"Niklaus, have you been listening to a word?"

Truthfully he hadn't, but Klaus knew that Elijah would only get more insufferable as the night wore on. "One more time, if you please, Elijah?"

Elijah refrained from rolling his eyes in a very Rebekah-like fashion. "I was suggesting that now might be the correct time to revisit our former plan concerning Kol."

Now he had his brother's attention, Klaus focused through the haze of rejection and alcohol to properly understand what Elijah was suggesting. "You want to dagger him?"

To his credit, there was the briefest flicker of guilt on Elijah's face before he masked it expertly. "He's done nothing but attract havoc. Whatever magic has brought him back, whatever 'mission' he seems to think is so important, it is not this city's problem."

Klaus mulled over the words. "The witches are being used."

"The witches can take care of themselves. And recently, we're giving them enough reasons to turn against us on their own." There's the barest hint of blame in Elijah's tone, but Klaus knows his brother well enough to understand what he's trying to say. His duties had fallen to the wayside and while he couldn't bring himself to care too much, he knew Elijah would be antsy, wanting everything in perfect order.

Putting down their loose cannon brother would be the first step to putting things back to normal.

Watching his brother think over the proposal carefully, Elijah debated mentioning the next part of his plan, but held off. Putting down Kol was something Klaus was perfectly willing to do on his own whenever the two bickered, but clearly his relationship with Caroline was something more complicated. He'd never seen his brother so unhinged, and in this state, he was no good to anyone. Rumors of the Mikaelsons would only warp and grow until every vampire, werewolf, witch and human who had reason to hate his family saw this as the final straw and pre-emptively attacked.

To Elijah, the course of action was simple. There were two choices ahead: either use Caroline Forbes, or run her out of town.

If Caroline could be persuaded to remind Klaus where his responsibilities were, then he had no problem with the girl staying, provided she and Klaus came to some sort of civil understanding. But if she stood by her and Kol's fruitless mission then she'd have to leave and he only hoped Klaus was smart enough not to follow.

Klaus was still drowning his sorrows in tense silence when Elijah's phone chimed with a text.

_**Found something in the bayou. **_

"It's from Hayley," Elijah said, frowning to himself. "They've found something out in the bayou, we should take a look."

"By all means," Klaus said, waving him off, hoping he could go back to slaughtering in peace.

Elijah gave another long suffering sigh. "Get up brother; this is still your concern."

Any fight he put up would be petulant, and as much as Klaus hated being ordered around by his big brother, this was something that needed his attention and could help him forget about Caroline.

With any luck, there'd be something out there he could destroy.

* * *

><p>"You seriously bashed in Damon Salvatore's head with a baseball bat?"<p>

Kol didn't even bother hiding how smug he was, simply downing his glass with a self-satisfied smile. "One of the few good memories I took from that one-pony town," he said fondly. "If I concentrate I can still hear the sound of his head being hit."

Enzo raised his own glass in toast but paused just before it touched his lips. "Just to be clear, was this before or after they managed to kill you?"

The glare he got in return could have frozen hell but alcohol and fond memories of violence were enough to keep Kol from taking his heart. "Careful mate, I was just starting to think you were halfway decent."

"Be still my heart," Enzo sighed dramatically, one hand over his chest for show. It earned him a bottle tossed at his head but he dodged it easily, leaving it to shatter next to some startled tourists.

Drawn by a few shrieks and the sound of breaking glass, Camille hurried out of the back, assessing the damage and the two vampires responsible. "Oh my _god, _how much longer are you two going to be here?!"

She continued her lecture but was thoroughly ignored, the conversation turning towards another blonde with a whole host of problems. "So tell me," Enzo started, pouring them both another round. "Just what is the situation with Goldilocks and your temperamental brother?"

"Hell if I know," Kol snorted. "I thought they'd be fucking each other as soon as she got here but apparently they're making this difficult. Well, she is, he'd probably lock her up in his room if he got half a chance."

"Perhaps we should do that for them – lock them up somewhere, leave them to have it out."

"Regular sex would do wonders for Nik's mood," Kol said thoughtfully. "Might have to resort to that after we sort out this business with Silas."

"You two are insane," Camille muttered as she walked behind them with a tray of broken glass.

Enzo rolled his eyes after her, "She could probably stand to loosen up too."

"Yes, well, no one said Nik's protégé was a rousing success at anything, including keeping women satisfied."

"Ah, and this would be…Marcel?"

Kol nodded, his mood souring at the memory of the boy who'd slipped into his family. "It's been complicated. He got a little too big for his boots. Still is, if you ask me, but my dear brother seems to think he's got everything under control."

Enzo raised a skeptical eyebrow, "You don't agree?"

Kol smirked but his eyes were dark and there was none of his usual humor. "Listen carefully."

He nodded vaguely in the direction of the other vampires scattered around the bar, and Enzo realized that over the day the Original had attracted more than a few groupies, all gossiping amongst themselves.

"_They__'re planning something huge; Marcel says he wants to take them down."_

"_I heard there was another massacre."_

"_I heard they have a weapon to kill anyone who gets in their way."_

The last speaker had the misfortune to be just a little too close to the bar, close enough that when she snuck a glance at them, she was met with Kol's hard stare. "Come over here, won't you darling?"

The young vampire stuttered, looking back at her two friends but they were suddenly much more interested in their drinks. Taking a breath, she stepped closer, close enough for Kol to have her under compulsion. "Stop spreading nonsense and remind any vampire who questions the Mikaelsons that we're more than happy to make our own messes and kill anyone we need to."

The vampire stumbled off, eyes dazed, while Kol grinned, entirely self-satisfied.

"So you _can _compel other vampires," Enzo said, clearly impressed no matter how much he tried to hide it.

Kol winked and took another shot, "Original vampire perk."

A dark thought occurred to Enzo and he observed his drinking companion carefully. "I don't suppose you had to use that little trick on Caroline, did you?"

Kol just scoffed, "As if the little hellcat needed any extra incentive to rip people apart."

"Fair enough. There may be a development on that front, however."

Kol raised an eyebrow in question, and Enzo leant forward. "When we were searching for her, we found some of their old hideouts. Most of them were torched, but there was one lab where a doctor's research notes survived. It was in scraps, but they might have been working on a serum. Something to keep their creations in line in the event that they could no longer control them." Enzo smiled bitterly then, downing the rest of his glass. "I suspect they finally picked that up after what happened with me."

Kol kept his face impassive, mulling over the implications of what Enzo had told him. "A cure," he said finally, "Well, she'll want it. And if she wants it, Nik will want it for her."

"It might be a wild goose chase."

"Or it might be real. Either way, hold off on telling her."

Enzo frowned, "And why would I do that?"

"Little Ripper Caroline is _useful_," Kol explained, overly-patient as if trying to talk to a child. "You have to admit, it would be a shame to waste such talent."

Enzo couldn't hide his disapproval, but wisely kept his mouth shut, Kol's little display of talent fresh in his memory. Before they had a chance to do anything about their difference of opinion, Kol's phone chimed with a text.

"It's from Bekah," Kol said, surprised that his sister would be texting him.

_**Something in the bayou. Come or don**__**'t. Try not to fuck things up. **_

His attention was caught and he looked up at Enzo with a grin. "By any chance, have you gotten a chance to visit the bayous?"

* * *

><p>If nothing else, at least the family was together.<p>

Granted they had their share of strife over the centuries, but whenever Klaus was faced with a threat, there was something undeniably comforting about knowing that his siblings were by his side. Not that he'd ever admit to such sentiment, of course. At least, not to their faces.

They flanked him now, Elijah having forsaken his usual formal-wear for clothes more suited to the dark marsh, Rebekah shooting him suspicious glances. In between muttering how her boots were being ruined, Klaus knew his sister was bursting to ask what had happened to his mood; Elijah had already filled her in that he was acting out. Thankfully she kept her questions to herself, but he doubted he'd have peace for much longer.

After much trudging they finally met the fourth member of their little party; Hayley shifted nervously as they came up in front of her. Klaus had always been of the opinion that Hayley was nowhere near as intimidated by him as she would've been if she was actually smart, but he couldn't help but notice how she didn't meet his stare. Tales of his recent behavior had clearly spread past the French Quarter. He'd be a lot more concerned, but being feared by the masses tended to be so very convenient.

"Was there a good reason we couldn't do this in the morning when it's actually light?" Rebekah huffed, picking a leaf off her designer jacket.

"Hey, you guys are the ones who asked for a search for anything suspicious and we found suspicious," Hayley replied with a bored shrug. "Do you want to see it or not?"

Elijah held up a placating hand to stop whatever his sister's sharp reply was going to be. "We'll investigate now; we're in no position to waste time."

"Sure," Hayley muttered, "Not like you're going on killing sprees or anything."

"Careful," Klaus snapped, already tired of this whole escapade. "It would be easy enough to get rid of you out here."

His threat earned him an eye roll, but Klaus couldn't help but notice the werewolf was still avoiding his stare as much as possible. It eased his temper as he followed her lead, going even deeper into the woods.

"Bloody hell, we couldn't have done this during the day?"

Klaus stiffened at the intruding voice, hoping against all odds that it didn't mean –

"Is this what your family usually does for fun?"

Kol and Enzo strode up to the little group, identical smirks on their faces. Klaus knew his brother well enough to know that Kol was clearly relishing in how much their presence would rile him up, and was tempted to give him the satisfaction in the form of a couple of hybrid bites.

"Kol, why are you here – and who is this?" asked Elijah, anticipating a fight already.

"Name's Enzo, pleasure to meet you."

"He's a new friend," said Kol smoothly, grinning like a child when Klaus' eye twitched, just a little. "And I don't know why you're so surprised, I was invited."

Narrowing his eyes, Klaus turned to Hayley, but the werewolf just shook her head quickly, staring at the newcomers warily. Which only left one other culprit…

"Don't look at me like that!" Rebekah snapped defensively. "You're the one who's gone and pissed off half the population of this city in one week over a girl, pardon me for wanting as much backup as possible in case this turns out to be an ambush!"

"Bekah, I'm touched," Kol said, false gratitude dripping off his words. His sister just sneered in his direction, shifting uncomfortably as she tried to avoid Klaus' glare.

"Well you're here, we might as well continue," Elijah finally said with a long suffering sigh. Reluctantly, everyone marched forward, shooting suspicious glances at each other, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

Out of the corner of his eye, Klaus watched Enzo, wondering darkly if Caroline had sought him out, wanting to vent the obvious disdain she had for him. For a moment, he entertained the thought of just killing the bastard then and there, hiding the body in the bayou and calling it a day. It would certainly solve his problems, and getting the others to lie for him couldn't be _that _difficult. One dagger in Kol would shut him up and that was two birds with one stone.

Klaus was so busy entertaining murder fantasies that he barely realized where they'd finally stopped, somewhere dark and remote with barely a hint of civilization for miles. It seemed almost too secluded, as if there wasn't a bustling city nearby, and he couldn't help but wonder if there was some magic at play. Their destination was marked by a small, dilapidated wooden shack, looking as if it didn't have many days left. Rotting steps led to a door that hung off rusty hinges, and it was clear that it had been abandoned.

"_This_ is what I ruined my boots for?" Rebekah asked skeptically. She wasn't the only one who looked less than impressed at what they'd found.

"Some of my guys found this yesterday, and they swear it just 'appeared' out of nowhere," explained Hayley.

"Werewolves aren't generally known for being the sharpest tools," Enzo remarked, ignoring Hayley's glare. "How could it just show up one day?"

"It could if a cloaking spell stopped working." Kol's earlier humour disappeared and he strode forward, stepping up one rotted wooden step to trace a small etching on the shack's doorframe. A small, backwards 'Z'.

"This was the cult's. They ran in a hurry and the spell wore off, that's why no one ever knew it was here." Kol spoke with absolute certainty, his voice low and serious, and it was enough to set the others on edge, as if Silas himself was going to appear out of thin air.

Elijah finally broke the tense silence. "Well, we're not going to find anything out here. Shall we?"

Kol nodded and led the way in, finding the interior of the shack just as run down as the outside. It was just one large room, scattered with minimal, faded furniture, rotted floorboards creaking underfoot. Even in its best state, it couldn't possibly house anyone for a length of time, much less a coven.

"This is pointless," Rebekah muttered as she poked around the sad excuse for a kitchen. It consisted of a countertop and a rusted, dripping sink, the steady drops of water serving as the only sound as they all silently meandered around the shack.

"Shut up Rebekah," Klaus snapped, suddenly alert. He strained his hearing, picking up the sound of footsteps in the distance, heavy breathing, and a fast heartbeat. "Someone's coming."

In an instant they straightened, ready to face whatever was coming from them, and after a few long seconds, the steps creaked and the door was pushed open.

Between a genocidal coven and Caroline Forbes, Klaus would have preferred the coven.

Caroline stood in the doorway, staring dumbly at the people already there. There was a silver baseball bat in her hands ready to attack, but when no one moved, she lowered it sheepishly and struggled to find words, mouth opening and closely silently for a few moments, briefly meeting Klaus' gaze but unable to look him in the eye for very long. Eventually, she settled for his younger brother.

"_Seriously, _Kol?! You told me people were dying!"

Kol shrugged, entirely unashamed. "I needed to get you here, it was the fastest way."

The awkwardness increased as Caroline dawdled in the doorway, purposefully avoiding looking anywhere near a certain hybrid. Eventually she stepped inside, but stayed close to the exit, mentally mapping out the fastest route to sprint back into the city if this got any worse.

"At what point do we call this a complete waste of time?" asked Rebekah, flipping the rusty tap with disdain.

"This doesn't make sense," said Elijah. "Surely there has to be _something_ of note here. Otherwise why hide it?"

No one had any answers to give, but Caroline had spent too long chasing smoke to go home with nothing. She tapped the rotting floorboards with her foot, concentrating carefully.

Her patience was rewarded.

"Kol, do you remember the house in Tennessee?"

He was at her side in a second, quickly catching on to what she meant. Bending down, Kol traced the floorboard, finding the edge and practically ripping it out, and it came with little resistance. The wood in his hand looked half destroyed but underneath was a smooth metal surface, and as Enzo joined them, pulling away at the floorboards that hid a false bottom it turned into a metal hatch. The others gathered around, staring at the trapdoor apprehensively.

"What did I tell you?" asked Kol, grinning widely "Always a secret room."

"Well done, can we get on with it?" Klaus was more on edge than usual, and having Caroline in close proximity didn't help.

Kol obliged his brother, digging into the handle of the hatch and pulling it hard, breaking the lock easily. A narrow, concrete staircase led downwards; too dark for them to see what was there. "Ladies first?"

"Uh, no thank you."

Kol smirked, and started down the staircase, Caroline behind him. It was dank and disgusting and impossible to see and she faltered slightly when she reached the bottom, tripping over a step that wasn't there. A hand curled around her elbow from the back, righting her quickly and she wished she didn't know immediately that Klaus was right there behind her.

"Thanks," she whispered turning her head slowly. Despite how dark it was, she swore she could still feel his stare on her. He said nothing and it didn't help their awkwardness, dimly registering an 'aha'from Kol, who had found the chain of a naked lightbulb.

Light flooded the space and Caroline was suddenly face to face with Klaus who was staring down at her, expression unreadable. For a second she felt trapped by the intensity of how he looked at her, and she stepped back, forcing herself to take in her surroundings.

Her blood ran as cold as ice.

There were no words for the way Caroline's stomach turned, for the feeling of intense violation as she stared at the walls. Every inch of the small underground room was covered in pictures. Pictures of her and Kol, to be exact, all of them from their year on the road. They had been watched. Watched and stalked the entire time, and here was the proof of it.

"What is this?" Klaus asked. His voice was deadly quiet, an underlying fury that threatened to break free but Caroline didn't have anything to answer him with. She stepped closer to a section of wall covered in close up shots of _her, _wearing a red gown, standing in a hotel ballroom not three months ago. Kol was beside her and if she thought back carefully, she could remember the exact moment in the photo, taste the champagne on her tongue and hear the steady hum of conversation throughout the crowd.

It made her sick.

"This was California," Kol said from somewhere on her left. She looked over and saw a blurry photo of two of them standing outside a motel. Unconsciously, her grip on her bat tightened.

"Where the hell was this?" asked Rebekah, pointing towards a picture of Kol lying unconscious at a gas station. She looked between the picture and Kol with a growing wariness, like she was just now realizing the scope of everything that had happened the past year. Caroline realized that for the first time, the youngest Original looked at her brother with something close to fear.

Kol ignored her question, staring at the walls with growing agitation. Without warning, he raised a fist and slammed it into the wall, letting out a roar of frustration and repeating the action, again and again and again until his fist was bloody and his oldest brother was pulling him back, trying futilely to calm him down.

"Kol- Kol! You're not helping matters!"

Kol fought off Elijah but was met with Klaus and he reluctantly settled enough to keep his anger from destroying the place. Instead, he found Caroline's wide, panicked gaze.

"I was _wrong,_" Kol spat. He laughed the sound harsh and bitter. "I was fucking _wrong. _They were watching us the entire time."

Caroline nodded quietly, not trusting herself to talk without throwing up.

A deafening silence followed, and Caroline waited for Kol's next outburst, expecting more destruction, but before it came, footsteps thudded down the narrow staircase.

While the others had come underground, Hayley had stayed upstairs and stopped short now at the sight of the covered walls but shook off her surprise. "I can hear people coming- a _lot _of people."

Kol was itching for violence, and grinned darkly as he flashed upstairs, his siblings right behind him. The shack was empty but one step outside showed just how many they were up against.

At least a dozen coven members spread themselves out in front of them, faces obscured by the darkness but intent very clear. They didn't waste any time and all four Originals felt the stabbing pains of aneurysms, but they gritted their teeth and kept themselves upright.

(Barely.)

"Consider this," Klaus shouted out, "either we kill you now or you give us answers and we provide the mercy of not decimating _every_ living relative any of you have!"

The witches didn't answer and the vampires didn't bother to wait.

By the time Caroline and Enzo ran outside there was chaos surrounding them, wind howling as the coven channeled their power to defend against the four very old, very angry siblings hell-bent on tearing them apart. Rebekah and Elijah double-teamed a handful while Klaus and Kol went straight for hearts, and it was almost a quick fight – almost.

"Bloody hell," Enzo muttered, watching the trees. "There's _more.__"_

Caroline froze in horror as she realized that there was in fact at least twenty more coming through the clearing but snapped herself out of it when the crossbows came out and stakes shot through the air. Enzo flashed away from her to join the melee. She had nothing on the others' speed or strength but the thought of that room below set her blood boiling and her white knuckled grip on her bat tightened even more.

At least three of the witches managed to surround Klaus, even as he held one of their own by the neck, and that was when she noticed the fourth raise a crossbow right for his head.

Her vision tinged red.

"_Look out!'_ She flashed forward and there was an immensely satisfying soundas she swung her bat and the witch went sailing through the air.

"Oh nice swing, darling!" Kol called out, grinning like a lunatic. Blood spattered across his face as he ripped off the head of the witch Enzo was holding in place. "I taught her that, you know."

Caroline panted heavily but didn't have much time to recover before a migraine nearly forced her to her knees, and she swore it was only the Augustine conditioning that kept her from completely passing out. A hand gripped her arm and kept her up and she barely had time to look at Klaus before they were back to back, fending off anyone who came at them.

She tried to block out the pain in her head and concentrate on the person who was right next to her.

Caroline kept her bat up and either one minute or ten passed but at some point, she realized that they were obviously winning. The pressing pain in her head cleared and she nearly cried in relief, and with sudden clarity she realized that there were six vampires and a lot of dead witches.

But also, one living one.

The poor, unfortunate soul squirmed under Kol's hold as he resisted answering any of the questions the latter spat out.

"_Where-are-you-gathering?!__" _Kol asked through gritted teeth, pressing the witch further into the ground.

"He's not going to talk," said Elijah grimly. "We'll see if he's more amenable after some persuasion."

Kol grimaced but conceded his brother's point, pulling the witch to his feet, hand still on his neck. "Well, at least the fun's not over."

Whatever pain the man had endured wasn't enough to exhaust him completely and Kol faltered, feeling one more aneurysm take hold. He was still fast enough to see the man reach into a holster, and reached to disarm him, but he didn't aim at any one of them.

In a second, the man pulled the trigger against his own head.

The body crumpled and they stood in exhausted silence. Eventually, Kol broke it.

"Well fuck."

It summed up everyone's feelings.

"It was no coincidence that the cloaking spell dropped," Elijah said, running a hand over his face. "This was an ambush."

"Must you state the obvious?" Klaus growled out.

Elijah didn't bother replying, turning to find Hayley who had hung back from the mess. "Find some wolves to watch this place, we need to investigate further. But…not tonight," he added, looking around at his blood spattered siblings.

The wolf girl nodded and went off, Elijah turned to the others. "Shall we get some rest?"

"Please," snapped a very grumpy Rebekah who was digging a wooden bullet out of her collarbone. "This is why I hate coming out here." With a flip of her hair, she turned and marched towards the city, Elijah close behind.

"I don't know, I think I could use a nightcap," said Kol, regaining some good humour. "What do you say, post-slaughter drinks?" The question was general but he directed it at Enzo along with a not-so-subtle nod towards his brother.

"Well we spent enough time at that bar today, might as well see if we can close the place down," Enzo replied cheerfully. "Night, all."

With a mock salute the two were off, leaving Klaus and Caroline alone with nothing but a pile of dead bodies for company. The tension ratcheted up tenfold and they remained silent, neither sure where to start.

Caroline knew this was point two on her list, an apology she had to give. Still, it was obvious that Klaus wasn't going make this easy on her. And he was definitely going to make her be the first one to talk.

"I'm sorry," she said finally. Silence was the only response she got, and she tried not to be irritated at him. After everything, Klaus probably deserved more than that.

"I shouldn't have…reacted like that. I mean, I shouldn't have run away."

Klaus tensed his jaw, but after a moment of staring her down, he nodded, stiffly. "It was impulsive," he said finally, voice low and hard. "I didn't plan on kissing you – at least, not like that."

Caroline swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. He probably hadn't thought about kissing her, but she'd thought about it plenty, all day in fact. The feelings of guilt and confusion weren't going to go away but in between her phone call to her friends and the message from Kol, she'd had hours to replay that kiss again, and again, and _again. _

But chances were, there wouldn't be anything like that happening again anytime soon.

"I was a mess, you were trying to help," Caroline said softly. "Maybe it wasn't really the 'best' way, but you were trying. And…I should've told you about Mystic Falls myself. You would've understood everything better."

Klaus jerked his head into another stiff nod. "You won't hear any argument from me."

They lapsed into another silence but it wasn't as stifling, which Caroline appreciated. She fiddled with her bat, letting it poke one of the dead bodies, and Klaus watched her carefully.

"Why did you warn me about that witch?" he asked suddenly. "You have to know that nothing they could've done would've seriously hurt me, least of all a normal wooden stake."

"I guess…I just reacted," Caroline admitted sheepishly. "I saw the guy and I needed to do something."

"I sympathize," he replied, the faintest trace of a smirk on his lips. "Acting out of instinct is a powerful thing." She returned his hesitant smile but he turned serious again.

"Whatever this is Caroline, you have to know I won't back down gracefully," he said, stepping closer. He kept his hands by his side but he might as well have been holding her in place for all that she could move right then. "I don't accept failure, and if you run again…I'll follow."

He would, Caroline knew that in her bones. He wouldn't take a 'no' until he'd fought to the death. And wasn't it strange – she wasn't nearly as upset as she thought she should be.

"I know," was all the answer she could give him.

Klaus sighed, the time and location catching up with them. "We should head back," Klaus said, scanning the area. "But there might be more of them out there waiting for you."

"They've done enough of that," Caroline muttered bitterly, remembering the pictures.

Klaus knew what she was thinking of, and pressed his lips into a hard line, feeling a fresh wave of anger. "Might I walk you home then?" he asked.

Caroline stared up at him, amazed that he would offer, after everything. "Yeah, I'd like that," she replied finally and with small smiles, they fell into step, side by side.

It wasn't exactly tearing each other's clothes off in Mystic Falls, but it was something good. They didn't say anything until Klaus spoke.

"Just out of curiosity love, where did you get that baseball bat?"

"Oh, this? You know, it's actually a funny story…"

* * *

><p><em>Thunk<em>

_Thunk_

_Thunk_

_Caroline cracked an eye, wincing against the bright light flooding the room and trying to identify where that weird noise was coming from. Somewhere over her head? It sounded like somebody was banging the wall, like something was hitting it repeatedly__…_

"_For God's sake, wake up!"_

_As it turns out, it was an Original vampire playing with a baseball. _

"_Don't make me throw this at your head Forbes." _

_Caroline knew he__'d do it, just for a laugh, so she lifted her head with great reluctance and snarled at him, baring her fangs in his direction, but he just lobbed the ball at her. Thank god for vampire reflexes. _

_Twenty minutes later when they were packed and ready to go, Caroline swore she could feel the dark circles under her eyes growing larger. __"You could let me sleep more you know," she yawned as they rounded their car, bags in hand. _

"_Sleep when you're dead. Dead-dead, I suppose." _

"_Whatever, you're driving first and I'm taking a nap." Caroline popped the trunk, ready to put her bag in but stopped when she saw two aluminum baseball bats sitting there. _

"_Did you steal these?" she asked Kol, half-exasperated, mostly tired. _

_Kol grinned like a kid. __"I did indeed."_

"_One wasn't enough?"_

"_Well, one's for me. The other…"_

_Caroline blinked owlishly, not sure if she understood. __"Is this like…a gift, or something?"_

"_Consider it a token. Don't read into it." _

_He had the sentimentality of a twelve-year-old, but Caroline was a polite southern girl and she couldn__'t ignore that this was his way of showing something close to appreciation. _

"_Well, thank you Kol. I love it." _

_His grin widened and they loaded their bags, closing the trunk when they noticed the skeezy motel attendant from last night watching them from a distance. Or, watching Caroline__'s legs more like. _

_Kol leant over, practically bouncing on his toes. __"Just putting this out there, you'd feel a lot more refreshed if you had some sustenance for the road." _

_He was definitely rubbing off on her, because instead of immediately shutting him down, she found herself considering his suggestion. __"You know, that may not be the worst idea."_

"_Tell you what darling; you could even use the bat."_

_And now you steal away  
>Take him out today<br>Nice work you did  
>You're gonna go far, kid<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think, (or yell about the wait, I'd understand.)<strong>

**Chapter title and song lyrics from 'You're Gonna Go Far, Kid' by The Offspring**


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